Excuses can hinder us from living a consistent authentic life for Jesus. Excuses can distract us from praying, reading, sharing, and living for God.   They creep into our life so easily. We excuse ourselves by saying that we are too busy, or we don’t feel like it.

We all make excuses and it is our way of getting away from our responsibilities.  It is natural for us to not want to be accountable for our actions and so we come up with excuses to defend ourselves. God laid out a lifestyle and commandments for us to follow but we make excuses on why we can’t obey and live for God. We have to remember though that there are consequences to the excuses that we make.

In the following parable:

"A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now. But they all alike began to make excuses." (Luke 14:16-18)

The man held a huge feast for selected people.  Each person that was invited declined with an excuse. So the man said that none of the men that were invited but refused would ever taste his food.  In our lives, God presents us with opportunities for blessings, but we may make excuses to refuse them.  If we do not take the opportunity that God gives us, it will close.  We need to take responsibility for what God calls us to do. When we do, it will glorify God and bless us.

There are conscious actions that will help aid us in OVERCOMING EXCUSES:

It takes DISCIPLINE.

We need to be disciplined in Godliness. Being disciplined in Godliness will determine our mindset and life for God.  It will help us to be God centered in all our life decisions.

As the Bible says, "...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Tim. 4:7-8)

It is also written, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!" (Isa. 5:20-21)

Ask yourself, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Gal. 1:10 NIV)

Make sure that you “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." (Col. 2:8) So what else does it take to overcome excuses?

It takes FAITH.

We need to have faith and trust in God.  If we do not know what is on the other side, it takes faith and trust in God to walk us through the task that He has called us.

As it is written, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Heb. 11:6)

"For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints." (Heb. 6:10)

Tim Chey is a Harvard educated lawyer.  He became a filmmaker and makes Christian films to spread Christ’s word.  Christian films are not popular in Hollywood and the media. However, Tim does not compromise his Christian values for Hollywood and uses his films to convict, strengthen believers and bring non-believers to Christ.

Tim was obsessed with watching T.V. and football. One Sunday, God called him to give up football and attend a prison ministry.  He went to the prison ministry and was touched.

He made the conscious action to follow what God has asked him to do.  He has given up T.V. and football and spends his time with his wife evangelizing and doing God’s work.  By giving up what God asked him, he has been blessed with spending quality time with his family, and blessed others with sharing God.

 Tim challenges us to look at our lives and see how much time we spend giving to God as opposed to giving to ourselves.  When we answer God’s calling and do what He will ask, it will bless us.

Questions:

1. What are some of excuses I make that get in the way of living for God?
2. What are things in our life that we prioritize instead of God?
3. What are ways that would help me live a more disciplined life?
4. What are ways that will help me to live in Faith?