Joel Osteen - Don't Let Offense Take Root

0:00When an offense comes, you're dealing with something very powerful. That seed is alive. If you let it get in you, what's ironic is you will become what you don't like. My father would have become like that man. Harsh, angry, judgmental. You can't take offense lightly. That seed can change your nature, sour your attitude and limit your vision. In the book of Esther, there was a man named Naaman. He worked for the king and he was promoted to Prime Minister, making him the most powerful person in the Persian empire next to the king. He had all this authority, respect and honor. He wore a ring that had the king seal on it. When he passed by, people would bow down to show their honor. But there was a man named Mordekai that wouldn't bow down. This made Hamin so upset. He was so offended, the scripture says he was filled with rage. Couldn't sleep at night.

1:01Couldn't enjoy his family. Didn't appreciate his position. All because one man wouldn't bow down. One man wouldn't show respect. He could have said, big deal, you won't bow. That doesn't change me. I'm still the Prime Minister. But he said in chapter five, all this honor is meaningless as long as I see Mordekai sitting at the gate. He had all the blessing, favor, he was leading the country, but one man wouldn't respect him. Instead of ignoring it, not paying it any attention, moving forward, that's all he focused on. He ended up losing his position and losing his life. If you allow a fence in, it can cause you to lose perspective. Blow things out of proportion, fight battles that don't matter. Start ignoring disrespect. You can't make people like you. Make them change their mind. If you stay focused on the offense, you'll start majoring on the minors.

2:02Miss all the great things God has blessed you with. That person at work doesn't like you. That's okay. You don't need them to like you to fulfill your destiny. There are plenty of people that do like you. Don't become focused on it. Let it go. That's not your battle. The scripture says it's the little foxes that spoil the vines. One person out of the whole person empire wouldn't respect him and he was full of rage. Look at how out of proportion things become when we let an offense take root. Are there any little foxes that are spoiling your joy? Those little offenses, if you allow them to stay, will turn into big issues that can limit your life. I hope you enjoyed watching this clip. You can watch the full message here on our YouTube channel. We'd love to hear your prayer request or how the ministry has impacted your life. You can leave a comment below. Make sure to subscribe to our channel to stay inspired all through the week.

3:03We'll see you next time.