Oh me, oh my! The Blame Game – something we know all too well! It seems to be everyone’s fault but ours and why not—it started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.
Remember when God asked them, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the forbidden tree?” And what did they say? They started accusing each other and even God!
Genesis 3:9-13 (KJV)
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Each one want to blame someone else rather than accept responsibility for their own action. That’s what many people do today. This is called pride. Remember the “I” in the middle? It’s all about me, me, me! What about me? Pride is being self-centered and God resists the proud.
James 4:6 (KJV) 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 5:5b (KJV) 5 … for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
To resist means to actively fight against. And who wants God actively fighting against them?
Pride has so many offshoots: unforgiveness, strife, contention, murmuring, grumbling, complaining, root of bitterness, and many more. These are deadly offshoots of pride and can literally destroy us. Let me give you some scriptures.
Proverbs 13:10a (KJV) 10 Only by pride cometh contention:
1 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV) 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
James 3:16 (KJV) 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
1 Corinthians 10:10 (KJV) 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Hebrews 12:15 (KJV) 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Hebrews 12:15 (AMP) 15 Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it—
What makes this root of bitterness so evil is that it eventually contaminates those around you. It comes from letting unforgiveness and strife and contention fester in you and just keep building and building ’til it erupts like a dormant volcano and many are hurt.
The sad thing about this root of bitterness erupting is that many times it causes such contention that it can last for years and even have family wars over it. It’s deadly in every sense of the word. Avoid it like the plague! Remember the Hatfields and the Mccoys! [1863-1891]
When we think about all that the Lord has so graciously forgiven us of, we don’t have a leg to stand on in holding unforgiveness against anyone else. James tells us that if we mess up in one area, we’re guilty of all.
James 2:10 (KJV)
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Who can honestly say that they’ve never sinned or even had a bad thought? No one! We’re all in need of God’s forgiveness and we need to extend that to others. Besides, we don’t forgive for the other’s person’s sake. We forgive for our sake so that it’s not held against us and we don’t reap the evil we’ve been sowing.
Forgiveness is simply choosing to let it go and not hold a grudge. It has nothing to do with who’s right or wrong. It’s a heart issue so keep your heart right before God.
Repent and speak crop failure to those negative seeds you’ve sown and thank the Lord for His total forgiveness. Now you can continue living the victorious life He has had for you all along – one of peace and joy!
John 14:27 (KJV) 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
— Pamela
Pamela Moyle Ministries 