It had been a long day.

I was in the middle of potty training my toddler, for the second time within a year.  

With potty training the main focus, the house seemed to have gotten dirtier, the stack of dishes larger, and the laundry smellier.

Our dog would not stop barking in the backyard. He is a big dog with a bark to wake the dead, or at least the disgruntled neighbors that morning.

Yet, as time seemed to steal my productivity that day, I was determined to make a home cooked meal for my husband. Cooking is a domestic chore I’ve longed to get better at for my family. Even if nothing else was achieved, I was determined that meal would be perfect when he got home for dinner.  

I had the pork chops simmering when he walked in the door. He gave me a kiss, and informed me, “I’m not hungry, and I need to mow the lawn before it rains tomorrow.”

That. Was. It.

I huffed, threw my arms in the air, and proceeded for the next few hours to give my husband the cold shoulder. His bewildered expression was his only response. This wife was easily offended over the unwanted pork chops she had worked so hard on.

Isn’t that often how it works? We are easily offended in the moments where we’ve allowed ourselves to be brought to exhaustion and unrealistic expectations, and the enemy sees a golden opportunity to strike. It can happen with our husband, family, friends, and coworkers. 

Because God knew we would face these moments in life, and our sinful nature would prompt us to respond in quick anger, He gave us wisdom from His Word as guidance:

Proverbs 19:11, “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.”

Proverbs 12:16, “A fool is quick- tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.”

Proverbs 29:11, “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.”

Priscilla Shirer, in her study The Armor of God, wrote, “Sensitivity to taking offense is one of the key ways Satan traps believers in his web of deception.”

Satan wants us to be easily offended! From a quick- temper that vents, stems a fool who does not reflect Christ to others. This was me, a fool outwitted because she let Satan win instead of allowing God to prevail. A fool who spent the evening mad at her husband, instead of feeling blessed with a hard-working man, mowed lawn, and leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

Satan outwitted me that evening. He knew my mindset was lost in the middle of laundry and potty training. Thus, when my husband turned away the pork chops, I became easily offended.

Thankfully, now God’s truth helps me sift through my emotions to overlook insults and misconceptions. I practice self-control to earn respect and stay calm. That is what glorifies Him!

Verses like the ones above are great to remember and keep close so that when those moments of being easily offended begin to manifest, we can instead remember God’s truth and avoid Satan’s schemes.

I am striving to be a godly woman and will fight to no longer be easily offended nor allow Satan to outwit me!

#ArmorofGodStudy #Striving2BeaGodlyWoman

Post edited by Jennifer Hacker. You can visit Jennifer’s page here!