Blaming Others

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) 
 
Being free of guilt comes from finding freedom in Christ. Unfortunately, we don’t always run to Jesus to find that freedom. Instead, we try to get rid of our guilt by blaming others. This deflection method originates all the way back to the beginning of humanity.  
 
When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, they were not quick to confess their own mistakes. Because we are not willing to deal with our sin and guilt, we tend to blame everyone else. Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit, and then he went a step further and blamed God for giving him Eve. When Eve was questioned, she blamed the serpent for tricking her into eating the forbidden fruit.  
 
Instead of taking responsibility for our actions, we cast that responsibility on someone else. Sometimes, we even blame God. Rather than shifting the blame, we should take ownership of our sin and repent of it. In doing so, we will continue taking steps forward in the process of sanctification and thereby become more like Jesus.  
 
Have you been blaming someone else for your sin and guilt? Do you think it is time you take ownership of your mistakes and confess them to the Lord? If so, I encourage you to take care of that confession today and repent of your sins. Once you do, you can begin to experience the freedom that can be found only in Christ.