I was a mess last night, My best friend said something to me that I could not contain, I was hurt and ready to switch off my phone, calm down and continue the conversation in the morning. Honestly, I didn’t wanna hear anymore of what was being said, I just wanted to run away. The Holy Spirit started saying to me in my spirit ‘Rubie, love listens through offence‘, but I kept fighting it, kept telling the Holy spirit that I was not offended but hurt and that i’ll listen but it’ll be tomorrow.

He just kept reminding me ‘Rubie, love listens even through offence‘. I listened. I said a quick prayer and told God that i’ll listen, then I gave myself (the part that was so mad) a pep talk that basically went like “Hey, I know you’re really mad right now, but now is the time to love by listening“. The part of me fought back, but my God is greater, so I picked up my phone again, religiously read everything that was sent in explanation and I replied, admitting that I was hurt but letting them know that I had heard and understood and would appreciate it didn’t happen again.

I went to bed in smiles and laughter, recounting my blessings and wondering how I was livid just 20 mins ago. I went to my twitter and made a tweet that said “Just a reminder guys; Love listens through offence, particularly through offence”.

It is a beautiful philosophy of life that we’re most hurt by the people we love the most. We could care less about the people we don’t love if they hurt us, but with our loved ones, the hurt goes deeper.

Some time ago, God taught me that the Holy spirit’s best place of assignment is in relationships, including all kinds, friends, romantic, parental, communal, mentorship, etc. The Holy spirit works in us the most in our relationships because this is the times we have the opportunity to actually do God’s commandment of loving people.

We cannot claim to love in isolation. Love thrives and grows every time that it is tested which most often than not, happens in our relationships.

It is hard to listen when you’re mad or hurt, i’m actually convinced that it takes the Holy Spirit to actually listen in that state, but that’s why this blog post is here, to encourage you to love, and in loving, understand that part of it is your ability to listen even through offence.

I’ll conclude with my biggest lesson of 2017 which came in a verse, it says in Proverbs 19:11b – It is to ones glory to overlook an offence.

Since this verse settled in my heart, offence is seen as toxic to me because it is stealing a level of my glory. I hope we grasp this truth and love through offence (Listen).