River of Offence

How can we avoid the perils that the enemy throws at us, and those situations that cause us to be offended? It comes down to where are we placing our security? Or, more specifically, in what or whom we trust?

In my youth I wasn’t close to God. In fact, I was in rebellion towards Him. There was a day when, through many poor choices, I found myself on a raft heading towards a logjam on a turbulent river. My brother, a friend and I went camping, and during that trip I lay on a raft that had been turned over to make a ‘waterbed’ on the river. This upside-down raft was tied to a branch overhanging the river. My brother played a joke on me and cut the rope securing the raft. He cut that in which I was placing my trust. Since I’d placed my security in the rope, I became offended, and was very angry with my brother. In this anger I determined to get revenge. Crouching low, in order to stay atop the overturned raft, I floated towards the logjam and I made my plans. When the overturned raft bumped against the outer log I acted on my plan, which was to step out of the raft on to the log and walk to shore across the top of the logjam, allowing the raft to float away, thus making my brother retrieve the raft or lose it.

However, when I stood up to make that step, the raft folded in half and I found myself being sucked under the logjam in the river. So it is with us when we fall under offence caused by what others do to us. You see, as my brother cut the rope in which I had placed my security, he had cut my lifeline.

What do you trust in? Is it tangible items that you possess, or is it your relationships with others? When we place our trust in things, money, certain beliefs, or even people, our life is tied to them. When we do this, we set ourselves up to be trapped by offence when this ‘lifeline’ is threatened.

After I’d slipped below the waters of the river, I began to struggle against the current that was pulling me under. We often try and defend ourselves when we become offended which leads to further offence, and, just like it was with me in the river, we quickly lose our strength. But there is a way out if we chose to listen to that still small voice speaking in our spirit. In my case, I heard a command to stop trying to do it in my own strength, and to turn and look at my situation. As I listened, God showed me the way out.

He will do the same for you. Are you struggling with an offence right now? Stop struggling, and listen for His voice, His solution, and turn, and follow His way out. He always provides a way out of every situation in which we find ourselves. If we listen to Him we’re set free.

Prayer: Oh Lord, here I am trapped in offence! Help me find the way out! I choose to quiet myself and listen to You right now. Show me the solution to my situation, and help me to obey Your ways to get out of the turbulent waters under which I’ve slipped. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.