Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
GENESIS 3:11-12 | 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
God begins the conversation that Adam and Eve avoided. He challenges Adam about the source of his fear of encounter and asks him directly whether he has broken the command not to eat of the tree of life.
Notice how quickly Adam moves to blame Eve. He is equally responsible. So much for shared partnership and the two becoming one. Faced with his own future, he throws his partner under the bus! And he also blames God: “the woman you gave to be with me” is the one that gave me the forbidden fruit.
Very quickly when things go wrong in families, when plans fail, we protect our egos by blaming someone else. Defensiveness and an unwillingness to own our mistakes can poison relationships, making others feel either unworthy or unsafe, and undermining trust.
How well do you own failure?
How do you resist blaming?
