LET'S HAVE A CLEAR OUT!

 Proverbs 19:11  A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offence.

When you go to your fridge do you sometimes have to have a clear out because there may be an unpleasant smell, or things are out of date?

Our lives are like a container and some things may smell a  little bit or be outdated. Depending on what our lives are full of will decide how much we are giving off a nice fragrance for Jesus. Have you ever noticed a negative person doesn't exactly reflect Jesus?

I've heard it said we may have 10% offence at someone or something, 12% resentment, 12% bitterness, 15% doubt, 16% worry, 5% envy or jealousy. In other words a little bit of all, or any of them, but when you add them all up they come to around 70% filled with junk which only leaves 30% or so for all the good things God wants to fill us with. 

Interesting concept isn't it? So when you think about that, how much of your container is full of 'stuff'? And how much would you like it to be full of God's mercy, grace, joy, peace, favour and victory? We only have a limited amount of space.

Well if you're anything like me you want all of God so that means we have to do some emptying out of the other things.  Let's have a clear out and make room for more of God.

Today though, we shall just look at one of those blockages. Our verse talks about it being to our glory to overlook an offence. It's so easy sometimes to take offence at the government, the media, that person who cuts us up on the road or steals our parking space. Maybe someone in the family or a friend said something hurtful.  The offence may have happened 20 years ago but it still bothers you today. The list goes on but God says He will give us glory when we forgive the offence, however or whenever it came. Taking offence blocks the flow of God's grace and goodness. 

Holding on to an offence (which we've all done from time to time) not only allows the person to harm you initially but it goes on harming you the longer you hold it. It's a form of unforgiveness, just in disguise.  

You may only be  a 'little bit offended', but can you afford to add it to the other stuff ? I know I can't!

Let's empty it out and forgive the offence by God's grace and be free of it. God will be pleased to give us glory to our account for it.  What a lovely thought.

As for all the other 'little things', whatever amount of each one we have, let's ask the Lord to help us by His Spirit to dump them out one by one as well, so we can receive the full flow of God's overflowing love and favour in our lives.

Let's have a clear out! 😊