Confession: I am a sensitive person. It comes with the territory of being rejected early in life and often throughout. I am just now, 40 some odd years in, being delivered from the spirit of perfectionism and pride that comes along with the shame of not being wanted—being forsaken.

Some of you are struggling with this very thing as well. How do I know?

Easy.

Every time somebody corrects you (IN CHRIST, not these folks beset by critical demons) or offers you advice contrary to the workings of your flesh, you find yourself offended because the spirit of rejection keeps you going back there and affirming the shame/pride cycle.

Offense never lets things go. Never. It keeps you bound by a cycle “You’re right, I am nothing” or “You’re not right, and I am never going to forget what you said to me.” And you begin to forsake the assembling of yourselves so that you get healing and deliverance. You begin to fall to the machinations of your own twisted mind. The root of rejection chokes out the seed of the word, and BOOM! You back at square one willfully sinning in your heart.

This is not God’s will for you.

Lookahenh. Love comes with correction. Discipline is a part of God’s will. In the war with your flesh, you won’t always be able to see where you need a healing or where you ought to repent. That is what the assembly is for. We check and balance each other.

If what someone says makes you feel offended, ask God to help you see past the offense and forgive so that you can get to the root. Did they truly cause you harm? Or is there a kernel of truth to what they said?