My Own Fault
Elisabeth Elliot reminds us that Christ has borne all our griefs and sorrows, and that we can overcome our pride and ask for His help in bearing our troubles.
Elisabeth Elliot speaks about the burden of suffering due to our own mistakes or failures, highlighting the difficulty in accepting responsibility and finding comfort in such situations. She emphasizes that even in self-inflicted troubles, we are not alone, as Jesus, the Lamb of God, has already carried all our griefs and sorrows, regardless of their cause. Elliot points out that all sorrow stems from sin, but Christ willingly took on that burden for us. She challenges the pride that hinders us from seeking Christ's help in bearing the consequences of our own faults.
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Someone who is suffering as a result of his own foolishness or failure may read these words. These griefs are hard indeed to bear, for we feel we might easily have avoided them. We have no one to blame but ourselves, and there isn't much consolation there. Sometimes we imagine that we must bear this kind of trouble alone, but that is a mistake. The Lamb of God, slain for us, has borne all of our griefs and carried all of our sorrows, no matter what their origin. All grief and sorrow is the result of sin somewhere along the line, but Christ received them willingly. It is nothing but pride that keeps me from asking Him to help me to bear the troubles which are my own fault.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, take away mine.
I take Him at His word indeed,
Christ died for sinners--this I read--
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Savior.
(Dora Greenwell)
Sermon Outline
- The Weight of Self-Blame
- The Power of Christ's Suffering
- The Freedom from Self-Blame
- Christ bore all our griefs and sorrows
- He received them willingly
- Pride keeps us from asking for help
- Christ's word is our comfort
Key Quotes
“The Lamb of God, slain for us, has borne all of our griefs and carried all of our sorrows, no matter what their origin.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“It is nothing but pride that keeps me from asking Him to help me to bear the troubles which are my own fault.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, take away mine.” — Elisabeth Elliot
Application Points
- Recognize that Christ has borne all your griefs and sorrows, and that you don't have to bear them alone.
- Overcome your pride and ask for Christ's help in bearing your troubles.
- Take Christ at His word and recognize your need for Him as your Savior.