Being Offended

Read: Ezra 8
“I [Ezra] gathered them together at the river that runs to Ahava, and there we encamped three days. I reviewed the people and the priests, and found no Levites.” Ezra 8:15

Examine:
There were many things weighing on Ezra’s mind as he assembled the people and prepared for the journey back to Jerusalem. He would have felt a lot of pressure to get moving and start the journey. But Ezra had the foresight to pause, take a breath and get first things first. He assessed their spiritual preparations and found they were lacking.

Apply:
There comes a time in my life when, like Ezra, I need to pause and recognize where the things of God stand in my life. I can do some good and decent things on my own but I can do nothing holy without God. If the things of God (holiness, faithfulness, & worship) are out of sorts in me then my plans will be frustrated, the results will be short, and the rewards will be limited.

Pray:
I am carrying an unhealthy type of anger. I sense it in me strongly right now. I have been offended by some people in my life and I have allowed those wrongs to fester inside of me. To be offended is just as sinful as it is to be offensive. These things occupy my thoughts continually and I rehearse the things I want to say to them in my mind often. My anger burns inside of me. The thought of letting this go without speaking my mind on the matter makes my stomach feel poisoned. I know that there is an anger that is holy, but this inside of me is not. There is no love in it and the root of the offense has nothing to do with what is being robbed from You. It is all about me. I confess my anger to You as sin, and I cry out to You for help. I do not know how to repent of this. I have tried many times to release this, but the memories of the past still linger and my current encounters with these people result only in more offense. As circumstances would have it there is no place I can go on earth to escape this situation. My only hope is You changing my heart.

Holy Spirit, all things are possible to You. You empowered Jesus to withstand the cross and pray forgiveness for those who nailed Him there. I need that same strength today. I am allowing the sin of others to create sin in me and I desperately desire to stop it. I am asking for the humility and strength of love needed to endure this without sinning.