It seems some of us wake up looking for ways to be offended. I know I struggle with it! Here are the 7 ways I have found that make it quick and easy to be offended.
1. Insist that EVERYONE view the world through your eyes. Forget that everyone is different. Forget that everyone comes from a different back ground and are at different places in life. Insist that they see everything from your point of view.
2. Don’t be open to any opinion that differs from yours. Especially ones that you can only back up with: “This is what I have always believed” or “this is how I was raised”. If you do this you will surely succeed at being offended. Refuse to be teachable.
3. Take every difference of opinion personally. Tell yourself that everyone is out to get you and the fact that they see things differently is because they hate your guts and are on a mission to ruin your life.
4. See it as your main goal in life to change the views of others. Scratch this verse out of your bible: “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands.” (1 Thess. 4:11) Instead make it your ambition to lead a loud life, never minding your own business or working with your hands. Make it your ambition to get all people to conform to your opinions.
5. Forget God is working in you too. View other people as the ones in need of God’s work. Think that you have it all together and all these other ignorant people need to get a clue.
6. Pretend you are in control. Act as if you have the power to change people. When people don’t bow down to your opinion get extra frustrated and offended because they clearly don’t understand that you are in control.
7. Live for your glory and honor. Whatever you do, in all things, look for yourself to be glorified and honored. Make sure your opinion is revered above all. Think VERY highly of yourself and never say like Paul: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.“ (1 Timothy 1:15) Forget that Christ is the one who is to receive all glory and honor.
If however you don’t want to always be offended and live an unhappy life do the opposite of these. Offended people only grow in bitterness. The longer you choose to live out these seven habits the more miserable you will be and the more you will drive people out of your life. Choose to overlook offense.
Have you checked out my husband’s book, Marriage God’s Way?
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Oh, my goodness – do I struggle with this! YES, with each one of them! That’s a big reason why I’m not on Facebook any more – I couldn’t stand the temptation to be constantly offended (and worried, and anxious, and angry, and preoccupied) with opposing views. I’m printing this one out to put in my devotional notebook. Thank you!! 🙂
I struggle with it so bad too! That’s why I wrote it 🙂