Galatians 1:13-15 – By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and did my best to systematically destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me from my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age. BUT THEN GOD CALLED ME BY HIS GRACE; and in love, He chose me from my birth to be His.

This is a report from Paul the apostle! What a shocking account – Paul thought that he was on the “right” track for living life and then abruptly had his mind and path changed. His life did not change by his own responsibility to make right decisions. Remember, he was on an agenda to go tell others how to live their lives; to pressure them to renounce their faith, and to murder them if they did not comply! Paul tells us that we are not rewarded by how well we make decisions or plan out our lives or react to situations, but we are called by GOD’s grace and chosen by HIS love alone – not our works. In other words, we are not held responsible for our sins or poor choices in our lives. GOD’s Grace finds us in our darkness and calls us up and out!

The Bible does tell us we will be held accountable (responsible) and be judged for our sins when we are unrepentant. I’m not trying to negate that truth. Consider this – when you choose to hold a grudge, are you experiencing True Peace? Are your days filled with the Joy of the LORD as you stew over someone’s sin against you?

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2) When we choose the responsibility of carrying unforgiveness (which is a form of judgment), our days are not peaceful and joyful. That is the “standard of measure” given to us. If we try to weigh someone else down with responsibility, we end up weighed down ourselves. This is how we are held accountable and judged.

Turn from these harmful standards and choose a respondable heart – humble and teachable … wanting to learn from HIM. HE is merciful and forgiving. This quality of HIS nature might infuriate us because of our own sense of justice and fairness, BUT OUR ATTITUDE WILL NOT MAKE HIM LESS MERCIFUL AND FORGIVING. JESUS provided forgiveness for the WHOLE WORLD. But HE lets us carry the heavy burden of unforgiveness when we choose to, and this in itself is a form of judgment on us. If we do not repent of our stingy way of relating to others, we will experience dark mental states and symptoms in our bodies that are not in line with the Image of GOD.

I love how JESUS invites us to come to HIM when we are weary and heavy laden – to take HIS yoke upon ourselves and LEARN from HIM.  Have a teachable spirit.  Learn from HIM – – That’s in Matthew 11:28, and the Passion Translation says HE’s gentle, humble, and easy to please!  Maybe we could see that as “unoffendable”. JESUS is asking us to learn to be unoffendable. HE does not hold us responsible to our heavy loads of sins that we have committed, and HE doesn’t want us holding others responsible. HIS yoke of forgiveness is easy. Learn from HIM.

Erika Kirk is such a beautiful example of a respondable being. Only days after her husband was murdered, she publicly spoke forgiveness over the young man that took his life in front of millions of people. She chose not to take the heavy weight of unforgiveness but instead give it to JESUS Who promised that HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden is light. JESUS – the Forgiver of the World – invites us to let HIM be responsible while we rest in HIM.

We are not going to be held responsible for mistakes when we have a teachable spirit.  Our mistakes won’t even be counted. Was it a mistake when we fell down as toddlers learning to walk?  Or was that just a growing process – the point is, WE DID LEARN TO WALK. In Luke 8:10 “JESUS said, “You have been given a teachable (respondable) heart to perceive the secret, hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom realm. But to those without a listening (respondable) heart, MY words are merely stories. Even though they have eyes, they are blind to the true meaning of what I say, and even though they listen, they won’t receive full revelation.” 

And James 3:17 confirms, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, loving, gentle, reasonable, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.” 

Maybe you can relate to me, being the type of person that has a strong tendency to feel responsible for situations and for other people – like my children… i feel responsible for them.  GOD started showing me how my feeling responsible is actually a lack of trust that HE is in control – HE’s got the situation well in hand – not just in Good Hands, but in the VERY BEST HANDS.  There are other types of people who cannot handle the feeling of being responsible for any of their situations. The burden is too heavy for them to bear and so it’s always someone else’s fault, or someone else’s responsibility. In both scenarios, as long as the enemy can keep us pointing fingers at ourselves or pointing fingers at others, he’s got us completely distracted from the Central Focus: GOD is Trustworthy – it’s HIS work in us, not our work in us.  It’s all about HIM – not us.  HE must increase and we must decrease.  So whether you can relate to me in trying to take too much responsibility, or if you’re the type that imposes the responsibility on others, start asking GOD to open the eyes of your heart to respond to HIS ways instead of carrying responsibility for your own. 

It’s not my responses that win me a place in heaven. It’s HIS! Galatians 2:16 – we know full well that we don’t receive God’s perfect righteousness as a reward for keeping the law, but by the faith of Jesus the Messiah! His faithfulness, not ours, has saved us, and we have received God’s righteousness. It’s JESUS faith! Young’s Literal Translation says “we are declared righteous through the faith OF Jesus Christ, also we in Christ Jesus did believe, that we might be declared righteous by the faith OF Christ and not by works…” – JESUS has accomplished and perfected the new creation life in me through HIS OWN FAITH – not mine! I enjoy this new life because HE is full of faith and HE is inviting me to rest in HIS work. Galatians 2:20 tells me “My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of GOD who loves me so much HE gave HIMSELF for me and dispenses HIS life into mine.”  It’s not my work in me – it’s not my responsibility to figure it all out. It’s HIS WORK – it’s HIS responsibility.  We simply respond – it’s our respondability to GOD working in us… the ability to respond to HIS love, to HIS peace, to HIS correction to be kind and patient and embrace every other virtue of HIS Own Character as HE reveals Himself to us. This is heaven on earth!

Whatever your situation is, whatever your intentions are, whatever intentions others have for you, trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own responsibilities and understanding of that situation. (Proverbs 3:5-6) GOD has intentions that supersede ours.  HIS intentions override the enemy’s intentions.  The people around us may have mixed intentions or even very good ones, but GOD’s intentions are better than all of man’s best or worst ones!  Gen. 50:20 – You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Like the apostle Paul, acknowledge JESUS’ faith and trustworthiness – give all the credit and responsibility to HIM to change lives and adopt a constant respondability to HIS ways, HIS guidance, HIS invitations, and HIS promptings for you and for those around you.