God Centered Success | Faith and Business

I'm going to be honest with you. Offense is something I've struggled with my whole life.

For the last four weeks, my church Bible study has been going through The Bait of Satan by John Bevere. I'd listened to it years ago, but this time it hit me so differently. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Offense doesn't stay small. It starts with a comment, a client, or a post on social media. Then it takes root and grows into bitterness and a hardened heart. And the Bible tells us that in the last days, the love of many will grow cold.

In this episode I talk about how offense shows up in our relationships, in our businesses, and in how we see the world right now. We can be completely right in where we stand and still be in danger spiritually if our hearts go cold.

I also share something I haven't said out loud before. There was a season when I got offended at God. Three of my biggest prayers hadn't been answered, and I let that offense slow me down, even here on this podcast. God has been doing beautiful things in that quiet season, and I want to share what He's shown me.

If you've been carrying offense toward someone, toward the world, or even toward God, this one is for you.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Why offense has been on my heart, and the book my Bible study is reading
• 00:58 How small offenses build up, from loved ones to social media
• 01:22 In the last days, hearts will grow cold
• 01:50 When the world celebrates what God calls evil
• 02:45 How offense turns into bitterness and a hardened heart
• 04:10 Seeing people through God's eyes
• 04:39 You can be right and still be in danger spiritually
• 05:50 Offense in business: carrying one client into the next program
• 06:45 Why it's so easy to see offense in someone else
• 07:43 Staying close to God keeps our hearts soft
• 08:40 Becoming unoffendable by living from grace
• 09:10 The fruit of the Spirit doesn't depend on how people treat us
• 10:30 Philippians 4:8 and what we choose to focus on
• 10:54 The one difficult client vs. the hundreds who love what you do
• 12:18 The enemy wants us anxious and stuck on the negative
• 12:46 Managing the world is God's job, not ours
• 14:13 Social media, business, and guarding our hearts
• 15:13 When distractions pull us off our God-given assignment
• 16:07 The spiritual battle in a fallen world
• 17:36 Our job: pray, speak truth in love, and make disciples
• 18:33 My story: learning to go to bed with nothing held against anyone
• 19:03 Being offended at God, and the story of Lazarus
• 20:30 The unanswered prayers that almost stopped this podcast
• 21:25 The take-home: trust Him in the process

Key Takeaways

• Offense will come, but we don't have to keep it. Every offense we hold onto is a chance for bitterness to take root.
• Being right isn't the goal. We can stand on God's side of an issue and still be in danger if our hearts grow hard toward people.
• A cold heart stops the mission. When our hearts harden, we stop forgiving, stop loving, and stop making disciples.
• One hard client shouldn't define our business. The enemy wants us focused on the one difficult clients, not the many we love serving.
• What we focus on shapes our hearts. Philippians 4:8 is a daily choice, especially online.
• Grace makes us unoffendable. Remembering how much we've been forgiven leaves room for everyone else.
• We can get offended at God, too. Lazarus shows us that when God doesn't come the way we expect, He's up to something bigger.
• Trust Him in the process. Don't let offense come between you and God, you and people, or you and your calling.

Scriptures Referenced 

Matthew 24:10, 12
"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another... And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."

Luke 17:1
"Then He said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!'"

Proverbs 18:19
"A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle."

Hebrews 12:15
"looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;"

2 Timothy 3:1-2
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"

Ephesians 4:15
"but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ,"

Ephesians 4:32
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:13
"bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,"

Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

John 15:4
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

Psalm 119:165
"Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble."

Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy: meditate on these things."

Matthew 11:6
"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

John 11:4
"When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.'"

John 11:17
"So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days."

Isaiah 55:8-9
"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Romans 8:28
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

Recommended Resource

The Bait of Satan by John Bevere

Your Next Step

Tonight before bed, ask God one question: "Is there anyone I'm holding something against?" Then give it to Him. Let's go to sleep with soft hearts.