Blame Game

Psalms 80:6 (KJV) Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

The statement by the Psalmist is a good example of why Israel had so much trouble in it’s history.  The context of the Psalm is that they are being laughed at by all the surrounding countries because they’re going through such hard times.  I assume that there are invasions and chaos in the culture.  It could be harvest failures.  It really doesn’t matter.  What matters is whom is to blame.

Notice that the Psalmist blames God for things.  His statement that God made the strife implies that God is the cause of the problem.  In reality, God is simply responding to Israel‘s rebellion and lack of obedience.  Who is the actual cause of the problem?

So?  We all have problems.  Some of those problems are caused by other people, by the weather, by government, or just by chance.  Many of those problems are caused by us.  We make decisions.  We have priorities.  We respond irrationally.  We need to be open and honest with that and instead of just asking God to bail us out, we ask Him to make us different, to change us.  That is part of the plan of salvation.