The Blame Game
"When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord." Proverbs. 19:3
Last summer we got a new puppy in our family. He has a habit of digging in the back yard, which all of our dogs have done. But this dog is different. He is a born hunter. When he digs, he has a purpose. Try as we might to stop him from digging he stubbornly refuses to listen to us. One day I watched him out there just digging with all his heart. Dirt was flying up in the air every which way. He had his nose buried in the dirt to aid him in locating his quarry. I was watching him to see what he had found this time. I was hoping he had found one of the moles that was also destroying the yard. Instead, his head jerked out of the hole and he swatted furiously at his face with his front paws. I couldn't figure out what he was doing so I went in for a closer look. Our dog had managed to find some fire ants and they weren't happy about his presence. When I walked up to him he looked up at me as if to say, “Why did you do this to me? Why did you let them get me like this?" It was like he was blaming me. I said to him, “I tried to tell you.”
Isn't that just like what we do in life sometimes? We dig ourselves into a huge mess. We do something absolutely stupid and when we get stung with the consequences we get mad at God. God, why did you allow this? Why is it God's fault? Probably because it doesn't always happen this way. Often, we can do foolish things and escape without a scratch. But when stupid or sinful decisions hurt us we decide it is God’s fault.
Sometimes unbelievers react this way. It's easier to blame God for your problems than own up to your poor choices. It also makes a convenient confirmation of your unbelief. See, that's why I don't believe in God. How could someone believe in a vindictive God like this who allows all this pain and trouble into our lives? But it isn't just unbelievers who think this way.
Believers can fall into this trap just as easily as anyone. In fact, many people who find themselves trapped in habitual sin sound like Proverbs 19:3. Certainly all of us face circumstances beyond our control. We may control very little, but we do control what we think, say, and do. We are not victims of the universe. God has given each of us personal agency and responsibility. And what we think, say, and do does make a difference. The best thing we can do is own up to our foolish words or actions.
It's not God's fault that you lost your temper and said something hurtful. It's not God's fault that you made an unwise purchase and put yourself under financial strain. It's not God's fault that you surrounded yourself with people of questionable character. We do those things all on our own. And when we do, we shouldn't be surprised that we would reap the consequences.
The good news is this doesn't have to be the way that we continue. First, God offers forgiveness. Second, God offers wisdom. And best of all, God offers grace through Jesus. Grace means that even though we reap the consequences of our folly, God doesn't give us what we deserve. For that I am thankful!