Lord, God, she did it again. And she had no idea why it hurt me. “It’s just a joke. I didn’t know it offended you,” she had retorted and then dismissed the whole thing. Jesus, how did You live here without being offended by people? You got angry and frustrated at times – but at people’s lack of faith and their hypocrisy – not for personal reasons. Teach me how to do it so I can be more what I need to be with SIL instead of self-protecting and being too busy dealing with offenses.

Hated stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. Proverbs 10:12

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9

Lord, I pray that I will learn to cover offenses, sharing them only with You and those You direct me to. And that that will be enough.

I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.  Jeremiah 33:8

Father God, just as You forgave the Israelites time and time again, I pray You forgive us yet again. I pray that You cleanse us from all the guilt of our sin against You – for that is who we ultimately sin against – and that You forgive all the guilt of our sin and rebellion against You. When we don’t care if we offend someone, or if we withdraw from those who offend us, we are not obeying Your command to love others as ourselves. We are choosing not to obey. That’s rebellion. Jesus, I can’t repent for SIL, but I can pray that You forgive her just like You prayed that the Father forgive those who crucified You.

In Your Merciful Name,

Amen