In today’s world, offense is almost a currency. Social Media, news, even casual conversations seem charged with opportunities to get angry, hurt, or bitter. But what if Christians chose a different path- a life that is unoffendable? What if we truly reflected the heart of Jesus, who didn’t cling to his rights or demand apologies, but offered forgiveness even to the point of sacrificing his life on the cross? This is the unexpected response that a broken and hurting world needs to encounter.
What does it Mean to be Unoffendable?
Being unoffendable doesn’t mean we ignore sin, injustice, or pain. It does, however, mean that we refuse to let the offense take root in our own hearts. We stay surrendered to the loving protection of our Heavenly Father’s defense so that we respond with grace, compassion, understanding and humility instead of anger and indignation. The enemy will often try to provoke us to react from a posture of defending ourselves, which quickly moves us out of the covering of God’s protection. In that moment, we are agreeing to fight back. Proverbs says,
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. (19:11)
Jesus was the most unoffendable person who ever lived. He was mocked, misunderstood, rejected- and still he loved. As his followers, we’re called to be filled with that same Spirit. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, the manifestation of love, peace, patience, kindness, self-control will flow like rivers of life to those around us. We will begin to see the following impact:
- Being unoffendable protects our hearts from a root of bitterness
- It releases the heart of Jesus to the world around us.
- It breaks the cycles of resentment, division, and destruction
The Lie of “Righteous Anger”
It’s tempting to justify offense in the name of “righteous anger.” More often than not, our anger is self-centered if we are completely honest. Scripture warns us:
Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:20)
We can be passionate about justice without being personally offended. In the gospel accounts, we see Jesus clearing the temple of greed in righteous anger, but he never responded with offense when he himself was wronged.
Practical Ways to Cultivate an Unoffendable Heart
- Pray before reacting.
- Stop and Ask: “Is this about me, or about God’s truth?”
- Choose forgiveness before it’s asked for.
- Remember your own need for grace.
- Speak truth in love, not pride.
When Christians live without offense, we disarm the enemy’s schemes. We become peacemakers in a divided world. Our lives declare, “I have nothing to prove, because I’ve already been completely accepted by Christ.”
Steps in Pursuit
- Prayerfully examine your heart and ask God to reveal any bitter roots that are causing unforgiveness.
- Partner with the Holy Spirit to release a “record of wrongs” that you have been holding in self-defense against others.
- Take communion and repent of the offenses that are blocking the love of Jesus from flowing through your life to those around you.
Being unoffendable is not weakness- it’s spiritual strength and the transforming power of God’s love. As you choose the higher road of love, grace, and humility, the power of anger and rage is diminished and overcome. This is walking in the Spirit and reflecting the heart of Jesus, who loved the unlovable and forgave the undeserving- including us.
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
