Taking Accountability for Your Actions: When God Opens Your Eyes
Galatians 6:4-5
“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”
Blaming someone else for provoking my anger is something I do sometimes, unfortunately. I have been really trying to change and work on setting up a warning system that goes off when I'm reaching that boiling point. It's been working pretty well. Sometimes I catch myself talking louder than I should, and I adjust it. Of course, my family knows just where to push to let that monster out of its cage, but through the grace of God, I'm bolting that door shut.
Yesterday, the Lord opened my eyes to some things and started changing me from the inside. Accountability.
This world does not take accountability for its actions. "They had a bumper sticker that made me mad, so I keyed their car!"
I actually watched an episode of COPS with a 70-year-old man getting a felony charge and going to jail for damaging a person's car with a political sticker he did not like. Of course, he was shocked that it was a felony and tried to blame the car owner for it. After the shock wore off, you should have seen the shame in his eyes. What a stupid decision!
We would never do anything unhinged like that, right?
I have. I've never keyed a car, but I've made stupid decisions when I was mad. I bet you have a particular memory in mind right now that makes you cringe.
This is what happens when we allow our emotions to take over and blind us to the commands the Lord has given us: Love your neighbor, forgive seventy times seven, help carry each other's burdens, give to the poor, tithe to the Lord, and take accountability for your actions.
Taking accountability for your actions is required for genuine repentance, spiritual maturity, and restoring relationships with both God and others. God can't heal what we refuse to reveal!
Yesterday, I got angry with my son in a way I haven't, maybe ever. I am absolutely embarrassed by this, but I've been called to share it.
My wife and my son were arguing, and it got to the point where he threw something at her. I saw red. I got loud, got in his face, and made it clear that he would regret it severely if he ever did it again.
Not more than 20 seconds after walking away, shame flooded my heart. I could hear him crying.
What the hell is wrong with me?
My son, whom I love so much, I had just treated like he was nothing.
After a little while, we went to the garage and talked, and I instantly asked for forgiveness. In that moment, the Lord opened my eyes and ears so I could finally hear what my son was going through and why he was acting out.
Because I took accountability for my mistake, the Lord revealed things I may never have seen otherwise.
My son and I have a plan. We're working together to help each other make better decisions.
Thank you, Lord, for your blessings, even through my mistakes!
Taking accountability for your actions isn't always easy, but sometimes it's exactly what opens the door for God to change our hearts and heal our relationships.
Do you take accountability?
Thank you, Father, for one more day. Amen
Luke 12:47-48“
“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”
