“It isn’t my fault. That’s the way I was brought up.”
“It wasn’t me. It was him!”
“She made me do it!”
The blame game. At one time or another, we have all likely taken part in it. Rather than take responsibility for our own actions when we are wrong, we look to pin the blame on something or someone else. After all, it’s easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility. When we are wrong or have done something wrong, our human nature is often to go on the defensive, so we look to shift the responsibility away from ourselves.
The blame game has been in existence since the creation of man. It began in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. When God confronted them with their disobedience, the blaming began (Genesis 3:8-13). Adam blamed Eve. He even blamed God because, after all, God created her! Eve blamed the serpent. The fact is, they each made a decision to do exactly what they had been told not to do, but neither of them was willing to take responsibility for their own actions.
God created each of us with free will. We have the ability to choose things for ourselves, to choose to do what is right or what is wrong. But, along with free will comes responsibility. We are responsible for the actions we take and the things that we choose. But, man’s sinful, fallen nature leans toward choosing that which is wrong and then looking for someone else to blame. And, that someone can be another person, a circumstance, or even God. Fortunately, God has given us a way to choose to do what is right and avoid the blame game.
When we live according to the flesh, according to our sinful nature, we live in opposition to God and cannot please Him (Romans 8:7-8). But God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us. When we turn from our sin and accept Christ as Savior, the Spirit of God dwells in us. When the Spirit dwells in us, we are able to set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). The result for us is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
A Worshiper's Journal 