Taking ownership

If our repentance for our sins is genuine, we accept the responsibility for what we have done (or left undone.) We own up to it, as they say.
If we blame anyone else, it's not genuine.
If we make excuses, it's not real.
We see genuine repentance in Ezra chapter ten, when we read "We have been unfaithful." We model genuine repentance when we say, "I have sinned."

We live in a culture where everyone is a victim, no?
There are always extenuating circumstances.
There is always a "root cause" that "made" someone do something wrong.
I will agree that many times, there is a mental problem or disease that makes the person "not responsible" for what they have done. But there is a whole culture today that says everyone (well, almost everyone) is a victim. The person was oppressed. Or his or her ancestors were oppressed. The person had a horrible, or just plain unhappy childhood. And the list goes on and on. The people who hold to this worldview feel that the victim is not only innocent, but ineffective -- has no influence on the world, and so cannot possibly influence or victimize anyone else. This victim is powerless, and so he/she is blameless.
But I'm here to tell y'all, every living person has the power to make moral choices.
I didn't have the happiest of childhoods, myself, just like many of you who will read this. But I refuse to let that define who I am! I have asked the Lord to make something of my life that will glorify Him. In spite of my past. In spite of my weaknesses. In spite of my sin. In spite of my not being wealthy or popular or powerful.
I suppose, though, that it may be easier to be miserable. And to blame everything on someone else.  In 2013, there was a court case that would have been considered laughable say, fifty years ago. This case was made possible by the pervasiveness of this victim mentality in our land today. A young man used the defense for his wrongdoings of "being raised in an affluent home, and never being taught the consequences of his actions or decisions." I believe that they called it "affluenza."  While I can't personally agree with the premise of that case, it's true that today we have a generation of parents who have so badly wanted to give their kids the things they never had themselves, that they have jumped into the picture and prevented their children from learning accountability! Kids grow up feeling entitled, and don't really "get" the "earn what you have" concept. They also don't learn to take responsibility when they do something wrong..... they have a hard time taking ownership and then dealing with their wrongdoings.

The scriptures say a lot about personal responsibility:

for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:5)

Jesus told us of our responsibility for our actions and our words:

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. (Matthew 12:36)

Paul reminded us of this in Romans:

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (Romans 14:12)

So, genuine repentance doesn't try to shift the blame to others, but takes ownership for what we have done.
A genuinely repentant believer will also see hope in the midst of sorrow over sin.  What do we mean by that? The Holy Spirit will reveal to the believer's heart the hope of God's mercy. In verse two of our chapter, Shecaniah says, "yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this." There is hope because our God is compassionate:

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  (Exodus 34:6-7a)

Just as He revealed Himself in this way to Moses, so He reveals Himself to us as well! David knew this, too:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
As a father has compassion on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
    he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:8-9,13-14)

God is always ready to forgive and to restore a repentant sinner, and the thought of repentance opens a door of hope to us when we are suffering the sorrow and the consequences of our sins.

We'll wind up our study tomorrow!