No more excuses

Imagine a father who loves his children beyond the brain's ability to comprehend. He listens intently whenever they speak. He makes sure they have food to eat and clothes to wear. He counsels them with wisdom because he wants them to succeed in everything that they do. He even gives them gifts that they don't ask for. His only request is that they trust & obey him, which is reasonable given how good of a father he is to them. He is an all-around good dad and his children are grateful to be a part of his family.

I'm the proud daughter of a Father like this (because you're here I'll assume that we're kin), and I've gone to Him in prayer countless times about all kinds of stuff and you know what I realized? God has never responded to my prayers with an excuse. He's never said...

"I'm too tired to help you with that right now."

"I don't feel like it, so you're gonna have to get someone else to do it." 

"Quite frankly, I'm uncomfortable with what you're asking me to do."

Has God's responses varied based on the context of my prayers? Yes, but He has always upheld His commitment to never leave me nor forsake me, and what's even more mind-blowing is that I am one of billions of people that He has made this very same commitment to.

So, if like me you agree that God is faithful and generous to His children, wouldn't the appropriate response be to reciprocate His love and grace towards us with obedience? That we should want to please Him and do whatever He asks instead of trying to find a reason not to. And no matter what phase of life we're in, sleep, money, food, culture, family & friends; etc. should never supersede doing the will of our heavenly Father. Think about it. When is it ever okay to give the LORD God Almighty who created heaven and earth an excuse?

Before we go any further, let's make sure we're all on the same page and review the definition. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, excuse means to make an apology for, to try to remove the blame from, to grant exemption or release to, to allow to leave or to justify. When I sit back and think about some of the excuses I've made in my own life, I can't help but shake my head. There were so many instances in which I put myself in a compromising position that made it difficult for me to do what I was supposed to do, and I made up an excuse to cover my tracks. If we're being honest though, pride was the root of why we didn't do what God told us to and why some are still not doing what He said, and fear and laziness are not too far behind. And while it's great that some of us know the why behind our disobedience, dismantling the excuses we've built in an effort to hide the real issue is just as important.

The good news is that the LORD has already done the bulk of the work by giving us the gift of salvation through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and it's this gift that He remembers when we sin against Him. Now it's our turn to be the living sacrifice and to grow. Grow past waiting to feel comfortable before we obey God. Grow past doing His will as long as it fits our schedules and aligns with our future plans. Grow past allowing the praises & criticisms of others to dictate whether we live righteously and become people that are willing to labor for the kingdom of heaven instead of only showing up when it's time to reap the harvest.

It's time to put your excuses on the altar and leave them there. There are people, blessings, and territories waiting on you to cast down these hindrances disguised as personality types, disabilities, and seasons and turn to the One that helps. Don't delay. You've been warned. 

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills— from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber." - Psalm 121:1-3

Note from the author: After I had already drafted this post, I listened to a powerful teaching by Meditational Moment and it served as another reminder about the importance of not hesitating to obey the LORD. Please click here to watch it and don't forget to drop a comment below if you enjoyed this blog post.