Daily Devotionals

Bride and Gloom Week 2: Wednesday

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." 1 John 1:9-10

As human beings, we do not like to take responsibility for our actions. Instead, we blame other people or current circumstances for our mistakes. It may make us feel better at the time or seem easier to shift blame when something goes wrong, but this line of thinking is not helpful. It leads us to be stunted in our relationships without growth. We must take responsibility for our actions if we want to have growing, thriving relationships.

When Adam and Eve were caught in their sin in Genesis 3, they did everything they could to avoid blame. He asked them if they had eaten from the tree in the garden that He had commanded them not to eat from (verse 11). When He questioned them about their sin, Adam said, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it” (verse 12). Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit and God for creating Eve. Next, Eve blamed the serpent who tempted her (verse 11). They did everything they could to place the blame on anyone or anything but themselves. It was not a pretty look. Even more, God already knew what had happened because He is all-knowing. This blame game only stirs up conflict. It keeps us from taking responsibility for our sins and struggles.

There is a better way than shifting blame when we are confronted with sin: confessing it. 1 John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” It is time to stop blaming others or our circumstances for our sins and confess them, accepting responsibility. When we do this, we can be confident that we will receive God’s forgiveness.

Moving toward action

Talk with a trusted friend or mentor this week about taking responsibility for our actions. Ask them if there are any areas of your life where you have been shifting blame rather than taking responsibility. Be prepared for the answers that they may give. When they point out areas, be ready and willing to take responsibility for the mistakes that you have made, especially in your relationships.

Going Deeper

Genesis 3:13-30 (NLT)

"Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?"

"The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."

14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

"Because you have done this, you are cursed
more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
groveling in the dust as long as you live.
15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel."

16 Then he said to the woman,

"I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,
and in pain you will give birth.
And you will desire to control your husband,
but he will rule over you."

17 And to the man he said,

"Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree
whose fruit I commanded you not to eat,
the ground is cursed because of you.
All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you,
though you will eat of its grains.
19 By the sweat of your brow
will you have food to eat
until you return to the ground
from which you were made.
For you were made from dust,
and to dust you will return."

20 Then the man-Adam-named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. 21 And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

22 Then the Lord God said, "Look, the human beings[d] have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!" 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."