Scapegoats

Get a Grip by Dr. Doug Weiss on Youversion

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 

Genesis 3:11-13

Blaming others seems to be something humans have been doing from the start. “It’s not my fault.” “Don’t blame me, it was _______’s fault.”

Identifying your scapegoats is a key way to move through some of the blocks that have kept you from getting a grip on your behaviors.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 

2 Corinthians 5:10

Write down any scapegoats that you might be using to justify your behavior. Some scapegoats could be:

• God
• The Devil
• The Flesh
• Bad Ideas or secular ways of thinking
• Your Spouse

The bottom line is there are no scapegoats. You alone are responsible for your behaviors! Pain is real, and it indicates where you need healing in your life, but you alone are responsible for your actions.

Application:

Say aloud: “I am 100% responsible for me.” Take notice of what happens inside your body when you say this. Does it make you uncomfortable? Tense? Uneasy? Write down anything that you notice or feel.

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

James 1:13‭-‬14 NLT

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT