The Obvious Scapegoat

Have you noticed how quickly we make God the 𝗼𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗮𝘁?

A loved one dies—we say, “God took them.” An opportunity slips through our hands—we sigh, “Maybe it wasn’t God’s will.” Famine, disaster, brokenness—we shrug, “Everything happens for a reason.”

But Jesus Himself cleared this up in 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝟭𝟬:𝟭𝟬 (𝗡𝗞𝗝𝗩):

“The thief does not come except to 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥, and to 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥, and to 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲. I have come that they may have 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

If it steals, kills, or destroys—it’s NOT God. Period. That’s the devil’s job description. God’s will is life. Abundant life. He is the one who said to Jeremiah' "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 you and 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11)

But here’s the catch: God is 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹 to His Word. He will never go against it. And from the very beginning, He gave man 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 over the earth (Genesis 1:26–28). Dominion was never conditional. God won’t break His Word just to step in and do what He has already empowered us to do.

This is why Jesus didn’t say, “Pray and wait while I preach the Gospel for you.” No—He said:

“𝗚𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹…” (Mark 16:15)

That’s why Moses had to stretch out his rod (Exodus 14:16). That’s why Peter told the lame man, “𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗜 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂: 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸.” (Acts 3:6)God moves, but He moves through 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻.

So maybe the famine isn’t God’s judgment—it’s waiting for Joseph to step up. Maybe the brokenness in your family isn’t “God’s mysterious will”—it’s waiting for you to forgive, pray, and restore. Maybe the suffering in your community isn’t “just life”—it’s waiting for the Church to be the Church. Stop blaming God for what He never authored. He has already equipped you to change it.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿—𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?