OFFENCE

this is a blog that stir up some thoughts in me due to an episode that happened a few days ago. well, not realli a big thing lah.

well, i realised...

u have the option to be offended or not be offended.

ok, not so much of a realisation or a revelation but more of an experience that will reinforced of wat i've always felt. that day, i was a bit offended coz i misinterepreted wat my fren said. but y would i get offended? if u look deeper in the matter, it is because i am aredi insecure and unhapi or mayb a bit guilty coz it is true in a way. or is something in me that i noe always existed but i cant change it. --> actuali, i beg to differ. coz we are a new creation in Christ! we do not have to drag ur old man with us, and said, "well, im always lidat one, cant change one."" i am hapi the way i am, dun change me."; " well, if God wants to change me, He will in His time, dun try to persuade me or change me now."; "i noe im bad, but i reali cant change." well, they are all but excuses or self deception! if u cant change, then God is a liar.

back to whr i wanted to say. y will ppl get offended? basically coz someone said something that happened to hit ur raw spot! meaning, something in ur life that u r insecure with, and when ppl say something abt that area, u got offended! is some sort of a self mechanism that will work up when u got hit, to prevent urself from getting hurt! well, but the truth is, u got hit aredi lah. is more than often, the area that ppl said is usuali true, and something u want to ignore. something u wished wasnt there. of coz, it also means something we might have to change. that is why we can say the same thing to 2 difft ppl, and 1 might get offended, while the other may not. y? coz the one who got angry has that issue in his/here life that caused him/her to react.

and then, theat person actuali has got 2 options to react.

1. to be offended, and continually be offended
2. to be not offended or initially might be offended, but realised the wrong in him/her, and procced to change. and it all matters how u are taking that piece of watever u like to call advice, criticism, etc.

the bible says that it is impossible that offends will not come. yar, impossible! does that surprise u? but the impt thing is ur attitude towards that offence. and many ppl react difftly. they will 1. look at this matter in a horizontal manner. get offended, and decide that person is not worthy to be ur fren and not worthy to listen to. next time, when the person toks, ignore. ok, u may be thinking, wat if that person reali reali toks nonsense? well, u r still offended isnt it? im toking abt u here! not that person.
2. looking vertically Godward. recognised that there is that thing u nid to change and mayb God wants to pinpoint and use that person to reveal that in u. (and that person may not be a saint himself). and u accept it, repent and change. reali there's no such thing of i will only forgive when is time for me to forgive. when God makes me forget all those grievances that the other person have caused me. if u can forget, praise God, it is the grace and mercy of God to let u forget. but the very 1st place, is how we respond to the matter. that is wat God desires to c. and be Christlike.

the Lord Jesus is so servant-like and forgiving that even on that cross, He asked for the forgiveness of those who has crucified Him, and that is us! truely, watever things we experienced, when we placed it next the cross and His sufferings. ha. ours are like child's play. and that is we nd to forgive everybody, though that may not be easy. be to forgive to good for u too. unforgiveness and bitterness in us will reflect on our face as time passes. and thats..hmm..ugly!

i like wat one of the members in the cell shared ydae during cg, he quoted, "Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort from one another daily, while it is called ,'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." i cant emphasize the nd to replent, to change Today. this is taken form the bible. and the warning is to us believers. sometimes our mind just like to twist the scriptures around to suit wat we think is correct instead of the other way round. Romans says we are to be renewed in our minds. those who are in the state of thinking that they can always repent tomorrow or when he feels like it or when he thinks is the the time is in a self-deception. r u in a self-deception?

coz it is truely the mercy of God who enables each and everyone of us to want to repent. i pray that u will not be hardened in ur heart.