Offended Much?
By Nancy Ermert
“This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”
In 2018, I was heading up hospitality for a Women on the Frontlines event. This was an exciting time, but also took a lot of planning and work. There were 3,000 people in attendance at the event. I had the responsibility of organizing all the meals provided for our speakers, including snacks after evening services at the hotel. I also had to plan and execute all other meals, such as the paid luncheon with the speaker of the day, as well as for the food truck, and meals that were offered to guests who didn’t want to leave the site.
The problem began after lunch. A few people started to get sick, but we didn’t think it was anything serious. Then we noticed an alarming number of people complaining of the same symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, and a few had a fever. Some were lying in the hallway while others left to go to urgent care. I was notified that they might possibly be suffering from food poisoning.
The director of the event and I went to investigate the concerns. Some of the people had eaten on location from the food truck, some ate sandwiches brought in from a local deli, some had food prepared on site for the paid luncheon with the speaker, then there were those who went off-site to buy lunch. All were from separate sources, so we concluded that it was not food poisoning. As a nurse, I know that food poisoning has specific symptoms and it would be very unusual for people who ate different food on and off site to all be sick. We quickly began to pray asking the Lord to reveal the underlying root of why all of these people were getting sick. Was it an attack by the enemy? Were we missing something?
I had an area set up, prior to this outbreak, for our volunteers to rest and get water and snacks. When some of our team began getting sick, they were coming into this room to lay down on the floors and chairs. I had to boot them out since there was food in the room and those who were not sick should not be in the same room with those who were. I learned that there were people who became offended with me. We soon discovered that many of the attendees who were suffering with these symptoms, had also become offended and had begun to accuse the ministry of wrongdoing.
Not only was the offense coming from those who became ill, but a speaker from the “faith camp” was preaching up a storm, when all of a sudden, people started getting up and leaving. It was noticed right away by the ushers, who became quite annoyed by this interruption and rudeness of people moving around and leaving. Our ushers and some of the staff also became offended and they too developed the same symptoms of those who thought it might be food poisoning.
The last night of the event, I was at home and suddenly became ill. I couldn’t get up from my bed. I had nausea, body aches, and a headache. I was too dizzy to get up to get any medication. My daughter, Shannon, who at the time was working at KSM, came home and found me in bed at 6:00 pm, and I asked her to pray for me. She told me that Jean Mulquin made a comment about the event while in morning prayer. She said, “The reason all those people got sick, was because they were offended at the speaker. I saw it when they got up to leave during her sermon.”
Shannon said, “Mom, you need to repent for offense now, so you can be healed.”
So, as I lay there, I asked the Lord, am I offended at anyone? Lord, You know that I didn’t even eat because I was too busy. He told me that I was offended because I felt that everyone was holding me responsible for them getting sick, since I was in charge of all the food. I quickly obeyed the Lord and repented for being offended at the people who were offended!
Every symptom left my body immediately! I jumped out of bed and worshipped the Lord. I know that symptoms don’t leave immediately unless you have a supernatural touch from God, and that is exactly what I experienced!
Katie teaches that offense can cause all sorts of sicknesses and ailments. Examine your heart right now; are you holding onto an offense of some kind? Are you experiencing any type of sickness or malady? If so, try doing what I did! Repent and be healed!
Let us know if you experience a miracle healing in your body by repenting of your offenses!
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May God bless you