Stop Blaming!

Lord, I’m so glad that You are with me always!

Of all the ways to get into a pit, getting thrown in — by something but especially by someone — can be the most complicated to deal with emotionally and spiritually. For starters, when someone throws us in, we’ve obviously got someone to blame: It’s all that person’s fault. Talk about a scenario with the capacity to eat us alive!

You want to talk complications? Okay, how about times when you’ve been thrown into the pit by someone else’s sin — and that someone happens to be a family member? Or a loved one who was supposed to love you back?

Getting over the trauma would have been hard enough had Joseph been thrown into the pit by strangers who picked him randomly. Instead, his own flesh and blood did it — and they did it intentionally. Been there? Me too.

And what about the times when a person has been used by the enemy to throw us into a pit, and he or she remains close by, lives on as if nothing has happened, sees our distress and anguish, but will not hear us? Maybe even despise us for our weakness? Ah, that’s complicated. I know from experience.

Take a moment to simply acknowledge the complications you’ve faced by being thrown in a pit.

What aspect of your life, if any, do you need to stop blaming another person for? How will you benefit from doing so?

The God of all compassion knows your complicated situation as well as your aching heart, and He is at work in both for your good.

Father God, acknowledging how tough it is to be in this pit isn’t hard. The assignment to stop blaming the one who threw me into this pit is very hard. Help me to do what I can’t do on my own.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies – make straight Your way before me. – Psalm 5:8

Excerpted with permission from Looking Up by Beth Moore, copyright Beth Moore.

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Your Turn

Have you been intentionally betrayed? Purposefully mistreated? Broken without apology? Do you need to stop blaming that person? Why? Join the conversation on our blog! We’d love to hear about getting out of that pit by choosing to forgive even if that person will never apologize or make amends! ~ Devotionals Daily