E-mail Encouragement: Accepting Responsibility

Winter weather has finally arrived to our area...we'll see how much snow we receive. Though it is cold outside, I hope you have a "fire in your bones" that needs to come out! As I have become a fan of "sharing what God is doing in your life" I wanted to share a recent surprise. I hope it will encourage you to look forward to how God may be working in your life! I was recently asked to be a speaker at the local high school's Teen Wellness Conference. I praised God (and continue to) many times for an open door into people's lives.

We live in an age where it is easy to pass the blame off to something or someone else. A child is asked why he hit his sister and his response is "'Cause she made me do it." The child doesn't accept responsibility for his actions - HE did it, regardless of what happened prior. Kids grow up to be adults, and the behavior can remain the same. That brings us to this week's quote...

People may fail many times, but they become failures only when they begin to blame someone else. ~ Unknown

I won't condone any child hitting another child, but it is better for the child's character to realize that they did do it, regardless of what had happened. Those who are married can use the "they-made-me-do-it" excuse when it comes to leaving the marriage. Or, maybe, you develop a bad attitude that you pass the blame to something/someone else because you wouldn't have that bad attitude if "they" didn't do what they had done. It doesn't matter what the situation is. When we start blaming other things and not taking the responsibility for the blame, we become failures. We must remember that each action is our action, not someone else's.

May you enjoy the freedom that comes with accepting responsibility of your actions, which will build character.

Taking responsibility ~