Aftermath: Coming Down The MountainSample

It’s My Fault

“He made me do it.”

“I had to respond that way, because they…”

“She left me no other option…”

All of this is the same thing: I refuse to take full responsibility for my actions.

And I get it. Sometimes, you feel backed into a corner because the actions of others do have an impact on you. We spend a lot of time responding to what others say and do. We like to jump onto our favorite social platform and justify our responses because, “If they did this, then I must do that.”

Or, ya know…

You could choose another path.

The truest mark of maturity in a person’s life is their ability to accept responsibility for their decisions, without explanation or excuse. If you can stand up and say, “Yes, I decided to say/do that,” without trying to make everyone else sympathetic to your decision, without trying to convince everyone that you are right, then you have reached a new level of maturity.

This is especially true when we come before God. When we mess up, fail, or sin, we need to accept the full responsibility of our actions. God already knows the whole situation, so trying to explain it away to Him makes no sense whatsoever. But accepting our guilt and asking for forgiveness allows two things to happen in us:

1)We can honestly acknowledge where we need change (which is the first step into change)

and,

2) We can honestly see who God is.

James tells us that our sinful desires are OUR sinful desires. We don’t get to blame anyone else when we give in to sin. That’s on us.

If you want to stop giving in to temptation, then you need to own the fact that some of your desires are sinful. Take responsibility for them. When you do, you will recognize the very real ways that you need to change. And, even more importantly, you will see God for who He is: a patient, compassionate Father that is waiting to guide you into new desires.

Take responsibility.

Challenge:

1. How have you tried to excuse away your sinful desires? What excuse did you use?
2. How do you view God? Is He just waiting to catch you in a mistake, or is He ready and willing to help you overcome the temptations that you face?
3. PRAY: Father, today I accept responsibility for my actions. I lead myself into temptation sometimes. Help me to trust in Your faithfulness and forgiveness. Transform the desires that are within me, in Jesus’ name, Amen.