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Bishop B. Manjoro Dunamis
WHEN it’s not there you feel it and you know it. It can’t be ignored, it can’t be sidelined. In an organisation, in a family, in a relationship, church or business you can tell when it’s there or when it’s not there — progress. Life was never meant to be stagnant; especially when you are a child of God.
It was meant to be from glory to glory, faith to faith.
You are where you are on your way to where you are supposed to be.
Excelling in life is God’s desire and plan for you. He is a good God. He desires the best for our lives. What then seems to hinder our success and excelling to higher dimensions in life?
The Word of God is the answer to all of life’s situations — one of the things it warns us of is that it is impossible for offences not to come.
Offences are a trap which can bring heaviness, barrenness and stagnation in one’s life. Read on as we dig God’s Word on how to identify a bruised heart and how to get the healing so desperately needed by all.
For one to excel or progress in life you have to understand a few things. Understanding is inevitable in pursuing lasting success.
Like we were sharing a few weeks ago, one of the greatest hindrances to success in life is the trap of offences.
The enemy lays offences as a snare in the path of all who dare to make a difference in life. From the key text we heard Jesus say, ‘It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of the little of these ones. Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother trespasses against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him’; Luke 17:1-3. This means if you are alive you are bound to be offended or to offend somebody. How you handle offences is critical to your progression in life; be it in your marriage, church or organisation.
Today we will look more on symptoms of an offended heart and person; because I have realised over the years of pastoring that one may not even realise that their actions are a result of an offended and bruised heart, especially the bruise of rejection. Proverbs says of a wounded person, “a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” Proverbs 18:19. Once this snare holds someone even your loved one, it does not let go easily. The problem is if you are offended and you don’t deal with it all people who come around you will be just like you. It’s contagious and can’t be easily dealt with. It’s viral in nature and takes the power of God to heal.
It all begins when somebody says a painful word or when somebody acts in a manner that you don’t accept then you begin hurting inside. Be it in your home, at school or at a company the following few signs could need your attention. Hatred, anger, bitterness and a sense of rejection — all such things are inside problems and unfortunately all heart problems if you feed them they grow.
The dangerous thing is that offended people don’t see that they are trapped (crippled). Some year while pastoring in a certain place I was dealing with a couple, helping them resolve, an issue in the home. The man was furious and angry; he would not talk. At home he would get in, sit on the couch and glue eyes to the TV or newspaper as though no-one else was in the home. The wife also was being affected and wondering what was wrong with his dear husband. It went on for a long time until they sought help. Unknown to the man and woman an offence and bruise had built and began to feed in the heart of the husband day by day, hence the symptoms of anger, withdrawal and bitterness.
When you see these in a friend, boss at work, church-mate or uncle do not rush to react — you make it worse.
Learn to respond according to God’s Word and wisdom taking heed since offences are contagious and can affect even a whole family or company or the person trying to help.
Upon further talking with the man and his wife, we all later realised that the man had been bruised by one phrase the wife had said unknowingly in a conversation and it had crushed the husband. From the phrase the man had concluded pages and pages of what she might have meant by the statement. What might she have said? After much inquisitiveness the man finally disclosed that in one of their conversations the wife had commented “Huumm Huumm imi wo imi.” (Ooo you!) An expression normally of pity over what you would have heard. That one misunderstood phrase almost tore the marriage apart because the devil uses words and offences as a trap. As couples hear this; do not take to heart all that your partner says especially if it sounds offensive. Have a heart that communicates and quickly forgive.
After being taught the Word of God, forgiveness and how the devil traps people through words the couple released each other and went back home with joy and wisdom for whatever would come their way. O hallelujah. That’s God’s desire to see people happy and getting along very well, Psalm 133:1.
A bruise if unattended to; eats up the person carrying it and also leaps over to anyone close by. For example with the bruise of rejection you are bound to feel rejected, not loved or wanted, inferior and even useless. What does it lead to? You end up with a critical spirit. It becomes difficult for you to love anybody because you don’t even love yourself. You also become very suspicious in everything due to what you would have been through emotionally.
Friend these are just a few of the signs and symptoms of inside problems — offences.
Next week we will look at how to deal with the very root of offences and overcome it with the example of one man in the Bible (Joseph), greatly mistreated by his brothers and life itself. How did he deal with it?
Until then, make it a point today to get rid of all the poison of bruises in your heart. Get to that point you tell yourself enough is enough. Make the choice. You may need to humble yourself by forgiving or saying sorry — you lose one battle to win the war. God is with you and will help you, I have prayed for each person who will read this article. God bless you. Always remember, for with God all things are possible, Mark 10:27.
Online Reporter