Who Is Responsible?

Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me." - Genesis 16:5

It's easy to go through life with lots of complaints about the circumstances in my life. Almost out of habit, I routinely point finger at God, that guy/gal, my church, my family, my coworkers, the media, the Internet...the list goes on. It's easy to say it's so and so's fault I'm in this mess. After I'm done with the list, it makes me wonder what I have left to own up.  

In God's book, doggedly bearing the burden of guilt and shame--regardless of whose it is--never goes unnoticed, even if the rest of the world just thinks we are getting what we deserved. Next time we don't get a chance to share the blame with someone else but are in a position to shoulder it all, let's remember how Jesus carried that cross up the Calvary to save us. He bore responsibility for sins that weren't His, and we will never have to do something that horrible. As regrettable as a decision may be, if we are suffering as a result, that's nobody's fault but ours because we made that choice. Remembering the Cross will help us to respond with less self-pity and blame--unlike Sarai who became upset with Abram when it was her idea to have him sleep with Haggai.
Being a follower of Christ may be one of life's painful choices that we now think twice about. But we chose to be Christians, and being a Christian involves dutifully and painfully obeying ALL of God's Word. No one forced us to be Christians. Nobody can say, "Well, God guilt tripped me through the story of the Gospel, and now look at all my struggles. Boo hoo." I pray that God's mercy at the cross will provide us with the strength to be painfully honest with ourselves, that we may bear responsibility for all the outcomes of our decisions with maturity and grace.