We all find ourselves in a situation at one time or another when we have the opportunity to become offended or annoyed with people in our lives or even our loved ones. It is at times like this that we must be intentional on keeping our heart right. This brings a scripture to mind that is found in the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 4:23 says, Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
If we fail to keep our heart right in these type situations, it can be a dangerous thing. It reminds me of an email I once received from a partner.
This partner was believing God for several miracles; healing, financial blessing and more. She is a strong woman of God, and it is hard to move her. On that day, something had happened to her that devastated her. She wrote to me for advice on what to do. She was so hurt, disappointed and angry by the thing her loved one had done. She needed counsel.
I told her that what had happened to her was horrible and I could absolutely sympathize with her feelings and she had every right to feel that way, however, to pick herself back up, and begin to say what the word of God says about her loved one and the situation. I instructed her to give no place to the devil in this situation.
It was a tough answer, I know. After I wrote it, it concerned me a little and I thought maybe I should have been more sympathetic, but God corrected me. He reminded me of something He had told me to always watch out for. He had once said, “Just before a breakthrough, bitterness and unforgiveness will try to come, give it no place, trust Me and refuse bitterness.”
Just recently, I found myself in a situation where it was a battle to keep my heart right. God reminded me of this scripture from Proverbs. HIS LIFE flows through our heart therefore it is imperative that we keep our heart right at all times – if we don’t – the life of God will not flow unhindered. There is a scripture in Acts 8:23 that is profound.
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.
If we choose to keep our heart right, the life of God flows – however, if we allow bitterness, it will bind us up.
The choice is up to us. We can be angry for a day, a week or the rest of our life. In doing so we allow bitterness to settle in, and it will cause us to be bound by the anger. Or we can choose to give it to God and walk free from bondage.
So, what did I do when I encountered the opportunity to be offended recently? I spent hours on my back porch, praying, asking God to keep my heart right. To soften my heart in this situation. To keep my heart pliable before Him so that His life could flow through the situation. That’s what we must do.
Do you need a breakthrough? If so, beware of traps of the enemy. Beware of bitterness. Beware of unforgiveness. The Bible says it is poison and will keep you bound.
Bitterness is sometimes sly, you may not even realize it is there. I am reminded of a time when I allowed bitterness to remain in me. My wrists were giving me a lot of trouble, they hurt so badly that they kept me up at night. I assumed it was because I work on computers often, but no matter what I did, nothing helped. I kept praying about them and God kept saying to me, “Bitterness rots the bones.”
I didn’t even put the two together until God had spoken that to me for several days. Then it dawned on me what He was trying to get across to me. I began to check my heart and see where I had bitterness. I found it, exposed it, repented of it and made it right. Don’t you know, my wrists stopped hurting and haven’t hurt since? I had bitterness and didn’t even know it. Bitterness is poison. It is bondage and it will block your blessing.
Ephesians 4:31 says, Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you.
You have the power to choose, is the offense you are holding on to worth the cost? It could be costing you your blessing, is it worth it? I would say not. Then let it go. Repent of it and make it right, then walk on in His forgiveness and get ready to be blessed.
