From Scapegoats to Surrender
- Jun 15
- 6 min read
From Scapegoats to Surrender: Finding Resilience Through Confession, Community, and Christ
By: Holly Gernatt BSN, RN, CCRN, Flight Nurse Educator
A Personal Note
To a fellow Christian nurse whom I met during this conference—I'll simply call you "V."
You know who you are.
In what felt like such a short amount of time, the Lord used our conversations in ways I never anticipated. Your faith, wisdom, vulnerability, and steadfast love for Christ were an encouragement to my heart.
Thank you for sharing your journey, and your love for the Lord. Thank you for listening, encouraging, and reminding me once again of the beauty of Christian fellowship.
You taught me more than you know.
May you always remain steadfast in His love, rooted in His Word, and faithful to His calling.
I am grateful that our paths crossed and that God, in His perfect timing, allowed us to share a small part of this journey together.
Grace and peace to you, my sister in Christ.
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." — Hebrews 10:24
A Weekend That Changed My Perspective
Recently, I had the privilege of attending the Nurses Christian Fellowship International Regional Conference. As Christian nurses gathered together for worship, fellowship, encouragement, and teaching, one of the recurring themes was resilience.
Throughout the conference, we discussed what it means to endure hardship, navigate suffering, and continue faithfully serving others while caring for our own hearts. As healthcare professionals, we often carry burdens that few people see. We witness grief, trauma, loss, uncertainty, and suffering on a regular basis.
Yet amid all the discussions on resilience, one concept continued to capture my attention: confession.
Not confession as punishment.
Not confession as shame.
But confession as freedom.
As I reflected on conversations throughout the conference, my mind kept returning to an ancient biblical practice known as the scapegoat.
The Original Scapegoat
The concept of the scapegoat originates in the Day of Atonement found in Leviticus 16.
Scripture tells us:
"He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task."— Leviticus 16:21
During this sacred ceremony, one goat was sacrificed, while another was released into the wilderness carrying the sins of the people.
This visual picture communicated a profound truth:
God never intended His people to carry the weight of their sin forever.
The burden was transferred.
The guilt was removed.
The debt was carried away.
As I reflected on this passage, I couldn't help but ask:
How many of us are still carrying burdens God never intended us to keep carrying?
What Is Sin, Really?
One of the challenges in reading Scripture is that we often bring modern definitions to ancient words. When we hear the word "sin," many of us immediately think of breaking rules.
The Bible paints a much richer picture.
Sin — Khata
Paul writes:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."— Romans 3:23
The Hebrew word often translated as sin is Khata, which means "to miss the mark."
Imagine an archer aiming for a target and missing the bullseye.
Sin is falling short of God's perfect design.
It is not merely about rule-breaking. It is about missing what God intended for us.
Transgression — Pesha
David writes:
"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."— Psalm 32:1
The Hebrew word pesha refers to transgression.
It means rebellion.
It is the intentional crossing of a known boundary.
It is seeing the line and stepping over it anyway.
This is more than missing the mark; it is willfully disregarding God's instruction.
Iniquity — Avon
David also writes:
"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."— Psalm 51:5
The Hebrew word avon refers to iniquity.
It carries the idea of something twisted, bent, or distorted.
Iniquity points to the deeper brokenness within the human heart.
Sometimes our greatest struggle is not merely what we have done.
It is what has become distorted inside us through sin, pain, pride, fear, bitterness, or woundedness.
The Ultimate Scapegoat
The scapegoat of Leviticus was never intended to be the final answer.
It was pointing forward to Jesus Christ.
Isaiah prophesied:
"The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."— Isaiah 53:6
Peter later wrote:
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree."— 1 Peter 2:24
Jesus became the fulfillment of what the scapegoat symbolized.
He carried our sin.
He bore our guilt.
He paid our debt.
He made restoration possible.
The cross is where our burdens truly belong.
Why Confession Still Matters
If Jesus has already paid for our sins, why does confession matter?
James answers this question:
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."— James 5:16
Notice that James is writing to believers.
Confession is not about earning forgiveness.
Forgiveness was secured through Christ.
Confession is about healing.
There is something powerful that happens when darkness is brought into the light.
There is freedom in honesty.
There is healing in prayer.
There is strength in community.
God forgives us.
The body of Christ helps us heal.
Resilience Is Not Isolation
One of the most impactful aspects of the conference was hearing fellow nurses openly share their struggles, challenges, fears, and victories.
In healthcare, we often become experts at caring for others while neglecting our own souls.
We carry stress.
We carry grief.
We carry disappointment.
We carry compassion fatigue.
We carry burdens that accumulate over time.
Yet Scripture reminds us:
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."— Galatians 6:2
True resilience is not pretending we are strong.
True resilience is knowing where to bring our weakness.
Biblical resilience is not self-sufficiency.
It is dependence upon Christ and the support of His people.
Jesus Still Calls Us By Name
One of the most beautiful examples of restoration in Scripture is Mary Magdalene.
Once known for bondage and brokenness, she became one of Christ's most devoted followers.
After the resurrection, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.
Then Jesus spoke a single word:
"Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'"— John 20:16
Everything changed.
Jesus did not define Mary by her past.
He called her by name.
The woman once associated with oppression became the first witness of the risen Christ.
What a powerful reminder for all of us.
We are not our failures.
We are not our wounds.
We are not our labels.
Our identity is found in Jesus Christ.
The Burden You Were Never Meant to Carry
As I left the Nurses Christian Fellowship International Regional Conference, I realized I had learned something deeper than resilience.
I learned that biblical resilience is not about carrying burdens better.
It is about learning where those burdens belong.
The scapegoat pointed toward Christ.
The cross accomplished what the scapegoat could only symbolize.
Confession brings hidden struggles into the light.
Community helps carry the weight.
Jesus provides forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
His invitation remains the same today:
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."— Matthew 11:28
Perhaps the greatest act of resilience is not holding on tighter.
Perhaps it is finally letting go.
Perhaps it is bringing our burdens to Jesus, confessing honestly, receiving His grace, and allowing Him to carry what we were never meant to carry alone.
The burden was never yours to bear by yourself.
Continue the Conversation
If this article resonated with you, please know that you do not have to walk this journey alone.
Whether you are carrying a burden, seeking prayer, navigating the challenges of healthcare, or simply longing to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus Christ, I would be honored to connect with you.
As nurses, we are often the ones caring for everyone else. Yet God never intended for us to carry life's burdens alone. He has given us the gift of Christian community, encouragement, accountability, and prayer.
If you would like prayer, have questions about this article, or would like to learn more about Nurses Christian Fellowship and its mission of encouraging nurses to live out their faith in both their personal and professional lives, please reach out.
I am only an email away.
May you continue to find rest in Christ, strength in His Word, and encouragement through the body of believers He has placed around you.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." — Galatians 6:2
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