When I face something new, a change or difference of opinion, what is my first response? Am I thankful or do I complain? I am not pointing a finger, unless it is at me. I am thinking “out loud” here.
I think my natural response, and possibly the natural human response is to duck responsibility. I don’t want to seem inadequate or not good enough. I might make excuses. If I can’t find someone or some thing to blame, it is tempting to say there are other powers beyond my control like, “The Devil made me do it!” (This is intended to be funny….) The root of this is pride.
I’d hope I have matured and humbled to the point where I know better than to blame others when I am really at fault. My parents raised me to be honest. I now try to look at my part first. Jesus said, take the log out of my own eye before I try to take the splinter out of the other person’s eye. (from Matthew 7:3-5)
Then there is the other side of the spectrum where one might automatically take the blame for whatever went wrong. I suspect this happens most when others around us, especially if they have authority over us, choose to blame us instead of taking responsibility for their own messes. In these circumstances it can become easier to take the blame than to straighten it out. If this goes on for a length of time this response becomes second nature.
As I grew away from escaping responsibility, to accepting my responsibility, for a season I had a taste of this over correction. My first response turned into an apology. This usually comes with low self-esteem.
God sees us as His much-loved children. Every day He is raising us to become increasingly like His Son Jesus. The key is understanding this perspective, that our Creator God loves us. He made each of us the way are for reasons we may or may not understand in this life.
Let’s accept ourselves as loved.
Accept that we can not always have it “our way.”
Accept that we can not control other people but we can control ourselves and our responses.
We can take an honest look at ourselves, knowing we are created by God in and for love, and balancing it with the knowledge that we are imperfect and in need of help. Help that only God can give.
Forgive. This means to release expectations of others and even of ourselves. Often the hardest thing to do it to forgive ourselves. We begin to experience God when we forgive.
Do you want to be like the screaming eagle? The storm swept doves? The alert yet resting cardinal?
I love the traditional prayer of confession. It is often recited rote so that it loses its meaning, but if prayed thoughtfully, it is a powerful way to realign with the will of God to bring us to balance and rest.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen
