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When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly.
1 Peter 2:23
The word of God assures us that offenses will come to us in our lifetime. ( Luke 17)
The word offense comes from the Greek word, Skandalon. The word means a snare, a noose or a trap. The enemy is always looking for ways to trap God's people and there seems to be no easier way than through our feelings. From the time we are old enough to have play mates we are enrolled in life's lesson of hurt feelings.
God's Word also tell us to watch ourselves, to be sure that we are not being used of the enemy to lay that trap for someone else. The "Golden Rule" of Matthew 7:12 should be the "Golden Standard" of our hearts.
Many times offenses are picked up that were never meant to be given. I believe we all have been on the receiving end and on the giving end, whether we meant to be or not. We all have fallen into that trap or snare.
Getting offended is unavoidable, but we should never stay offended. Even when we are right, in our submission to Christ we give up our right to be right. His Word says to guard our hearts, it determines the course of our life! (Proverbs 4:23)
Trials and tests locate a person. In other words, they determine where you are spiritually. They reveal the true condition of your heart.
If our heart is hardened because of hurt, anger, or bitterness it will not be receptive to the things of God, and we can't operate effectively in the kingdom of God in that condition.
Why does God allow us to go through these things? To teach us, to grow us, to shake the things of this world off of us, to move us closer to Him. He must increase, I must decrease. John 3:30
Our duty as Christians is to become like Jesus. That is what "Christian" means, to be Christ Like.
Just like Jesus, we must not retaliate, make no threats, even in our hearts and minds. We must entrust ourselves and our offenses to God, who judges justly.
We have the ability to take every thought captive and submit it to God. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Although the enemy lays out traps and snares, God has always provided a way of escape for us!