Study with Me - Chapter 21

Hello Everyone,

I went a little longer than I wanted to between posts again, but better late than never right?

If you are coming here for the first time, I am hosting a study using the book "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers. Click the button on my side bar to go to the intro or join in anytime.

Chapter 21- Wilderness Mentality #6 -

"My behavior might be wrong, but it's not my fault"

This chapter is so rich, and yet I sit here not knowing what all to say. So I am starting in faith that God will give me the right words. I don't know about you, but in my life, I grew up making excuses for everything. Why isn't your homework done? Why didn't you eat all your lunch? Didn't I tell you not to crawl under the house to play with the puppies? "But ...I...Well I Just" I used to tell my daughter when she was growing up anytime she used the phrase "I Just" to answer a question she "Just" got herself in trouble. That was because I knew it was an excuse or a lie. I want to ask something before we go much farther. When is it an excuse and when is it a lie? There are reasons we do things, but by justifying them with an excuse we are not taking our own responsibility for these actions. There is the other side of this - by not doing something when we should, we can fall into the trap of excuses also.

Let's take a look at Adam and Eve. God gave them the rules and boundaries for staying in good graces with Him. Don't eat from the tree. Satan came and deceived Eve into thinking she was missing out on something and tempted her to eat from the tree. So she ate from the tree. She actively did something she shouldn't have. Then she blamed the serpent. Now Adam eats the fruit that his wife gives him, and blames her for giving it to him, and then blames God for the bad woman that God made for him. In Adam's case he didn't take action where he should have. God gave him dominion, Adam should have said no. Neither Adam or Eve took the responsibility for their wrong doing. I wonder if God's punishment would have been so severe if they had fessed up and repented. Does it make you wonder?

I went through a period of time in my life where I let everyone walk all over me. It always starts so small a little teasing as a child at school, a little beating myself up here or there. Until one day you give up and don't even try anymore. Then I fooled myself into thinking that if I wasn't doing anything, I wasn't responsible. Wrong we each are responsible for what we allow and don't allow in our lives. (Adam allowed Eve to give him the fruit) This is a hard one, because I was in a verbally abusive marriage, and relationship with other family members for a long time. It is easy to shrink down and say I can't help it is not my fault. Not so it was because I allowed it. It took many years after the divorce of my 1st husband, for me to be able to say that. Through God I see that I am free, and part of being free is coming to God, not holding anything back. Give it all to Him and let him give you the strength to face what you must.

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Everything we see, hear, touch and do in our lives from babies to adults changes and molds us in some way, good or bad. That's why God so often tells us to be very mindful of what we see and hear. Also be very mindful of what you make as your abode. (the place you camp out and live) It is so hard to take responsibility for your actions, but it is so freeing and you will grow so much, one day you'll look back and won't believe you were ever any other way.

Father God

Help us to see our faults. Help us to not look at other people and other things as our source of excuse. Give us the strength to change in ourselves what needs to change to line up with your word. Help us to be more like you.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

In his love, be Blessed,

Lynn