Offenses: Soften Hearts to Understand

Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:31,32 NIV)

Offenses

Ezekiel’s messages came in vivid forms with dire need shown to gain captives attention. Through Ezekiel, God spoke how Israel would be judged according to each one’s ways. If people would turn away from all offenses, then sin would not be their downfall. Is offenses a sin? Yes. Clearly God wants us to repent from offenses. God’s attitude catches my attention. He takes no pleasure in anyone’s death. Un-repented sin will lead to death.

Grudges

Causing offenses or being offended is like carrying a grudge. Offenses and grudges cause our hearts to harden and halts our spiritual growth. Spiritual growth- one may say- so what. The ‘what’ would be eternity and where we plan to spend this infinite amount of time. Two choices of Heaven or hell determine eternal life or death in the lake of fire, unspeakable agony.

Shields

I wonder how individuals can harbor offenses and grudges for months even years. Who wants to carry around such heaviness? If we are breathing-reasons all day surface to be offended. When our hearts are soft to absorb God’s Word, wisdom will flow and an invisible repellant shield is activated. Situations and circumstances come toward us with force- they are immediately rejected keeping our hearts pure.

New Heart-New Spirit

Motivating Monday! A new heart and a new spirit = an amazing opportunity through salvation. I wish these thoughts were only for nonbelievers, yet, we sit in churches all over the world allowing offenses space in our hearts. During prayer, ensure our hearts are not hardened. We need to keep moving forward in our spiritual journey. God knew the plans He had for each of us before we were ever born. Trust your heart to Jesus today. Remove any hardness so we can fully understand. I do not want to see anyone deceived. Jesus does not want to see anyone die. Today can be a rocking Motivating Monday to ensure we carry no offenses or hold grudges.

Be encouraged!