By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

We give the devil too much credit. When we make a poor decision, who do we blame? Satan. We claim demonic forces infiltrated our weak walls and forced us to do things we otherwise wouldn’t do.

What a load of lies.

The devil didn’t make you do anything. Instead of passing the blame, we need to take responsibility for our actions. I know it can be scary to admit we made a mistake. We fear the consequences. Yes, sometimes those consequences can be severe. But we owe it to ourselves and others to acknowledge our faults and accept the fallout.

Stop blaming Satan for your poor choices. He’s not a scapegoat for human folly.

It’s Okay if Your Armor is Dented

Human beings are flawed. Making mistakes is a part of life. Then why do we expect perfection from ourselves? We must be willing to offer grace, both to others and ourselves. When we react with grace, evil and the devil lose.

In Ephesians 6:11 we are told to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (KJV). The Scripture doesn’t say to blame Satan for your actions. He is wily, and a tempter, but ultimately, we have free will. The choices are still ours.

I admit I’ve made poor choices. The devil tempted me or, in some cases, tricked me. In hindsight the lies are obvious but at the time, I had no idea I was being played. Even when I suspected Satan, I didn’t want to believe I could fall for such schemes. We all have stories like that. We’ve all given in to temptation. But while the devil may have said the words we wanted to hear, he’s not responsible for the actions we choose to take.

I own my mistakes. I’m better able to see the cracks in my armor and shore up my defenses. I do not make the devil a scapegoat. True repentance does not come from blaming others. It can only be gained when we honestly admit our sins. Anything else is prideful and will separate us from God.

Power to the People

We know enough about the human brain to acknowledge that changes to our brain chemistry can lead to depression and anger. We’ve studied concussions and other traumatic brain injuries and concluded that intense physical assaults on the brain can change behavioral and thinking patterns. In these instances, we cannot place full blame on an individual who acted out of character or said or did immoral or illegal things.

That doesn’t mean we can blame the devil, either. He doesn’t have his fingers in our brains, upsetting our serotonin and dopamine levels or twisting our neural pathways. Our brains are complicated, fragile, and extraordinary. The devil has nothing to do with it. It’s just part of being human. It’s just science.

Scientific development has led to such a better understanding of the human brain. What we once called madness or demonic possession we now know is actually cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s or autism. We’re learning to stop blaming supernatural forces and to instead treat human beings with dignity and respect. Let’s apply what we’ve learned to all areas of our lives and accept that the devil doesn’t have the power we keep trying to give him.

Choose Wisely

God is the ultimate authority in the universe. So why do we continue to reduce His power and give it to the devil? God made us in His image, and that image includes free will. From the very beginning, mankind has had the ability to choose. Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Today, we choose right or wrong.

When we choose wrongly, it’s our fault. We may be lied to. We may be pushed in a particular direction. We may be tempted by what we want even when we know it’s no good for us. But it’s our choice. We make the decision, not the devil. So stop passing the blame. Take responsibility for your sins. The devil has no power here.