You are Responsible

Galatians 6:5 "For each one shall bear his own load."

The Apostle Paul is attempting to get a church to take some personal responsibility to live out their faith. Yes, they were instructed to help each other and help the community at large but he also clearly instructed them to take personal responsibility over their own lives.

How does a person take personal responsibility?

First, accept the fact that you are responsible for where you are in life. No blaming-shifting towards your present or past circumstances or people that have come into your life. You are where you are in life because of choices you made. If you cannot accept the fact that you are responsible you cannot move on. Even if a tragedy or some other events have occurred which you believe led you to the place you are right now, it was your own choice to either respond or react to the situation in the way that you did. You are responsible,...no one else!

Learn to forgive people, yourself and God. So many walk around with this anger towards life. Someone or something has let them down and they are mad! Does this change the situation? NO! As a matter of fact, we have a warning about our anger from the LORD, through James, "1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Learn to let things go through forgiveness. Let go of the blame by simply acknowledging that is there is nothing you can do to change the past. You are responsible for the here and now, and whatever occurred in the past is done, it's a fact. You can continue to blame others for where you are, but what purpose will that serve you now? Blaming yourself is not the same thing as taking responsibility. Letting it all go through forgiveness is the important thing.

Second, start to change what you can about your situation. Get off the couch! MOVE! Be responsible! You are where you are because of you and you alone. If you don't like it, make better choices.

Example: If you blamed your spiritual life and love for God on the inadequately of your church, switch the responsibility to yourself now and make a change. What are you doing to change it NOW? Blaming others will do nothing to change your life, so just get over it and do what you can to take responsibility.

Example: If you don't like your financial situation, change it! Stop blaming the market, your ex-husband or your current wife. It is you! Make choices that educate yourself into maturity in this area.

Example: If you don't like your weight, stop blaming your wife, mother or your favourite restaurant. It is you! Be responsible. Get off the couch, move, exercise,...shovel snow! I'm speaking to myself now! I wanted to lose 25 pounds by 2009, I lost only 12 pounds than gained back 6 of those! I would love to blame my wife because of her great cooking but it was me.

I did find the secret to losing weight. When you are at the table and you know you have eaten enough, firmly place your hands on the edge of the table and push! It works every time!

This is a simple statement: You are Responsible but very difficult to get people to REALLY believe. When you and I do, we will be set free! Free to walk in a manner we were made to walk in. We will walk as responsible adults, in Christ!