Stumbling in Relationships

 Esther 1-2; Psalms 150; Luke 17 

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come…If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.’”

Luke 17:1, 3

How we respond to offense affects our spiritual freedom and whether we cause others around us to ‘stumble’. Jesus not only calls us to forgive when we have been offended or hurt by others, but he also calls us to rebuke those who have sinned against us. This takes courage! However, the alternative is to hold onto our hurts until they make us bitter. This bitterness then leaks out of our words, actions, and feelings, thus defiling others.

Are we causing others to stumble by how we respond to offenses against us?

Are there relationships that God is inviting us to examine so that both we and others can experience new freedom?

“Lord Jesus, thank you for your freedom and for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I pray for the courage to confront, repent, and forgive, for your glory.”