Excuses, Excuses!!! they’re not real reasons; they’re just ways of avoiding what we really don’t want to do. That’s why what Benjamin Franklin said is so true: “He that is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” So, stop making excuses!
If you want to be all that God has called you to be, stop coming up with so-called “reasons” why you can’t do what God has asked you to do. Stop telling Him, “It’s too hard” or “What if…” or “I’m not qualified.” If you want to be used of God to advance His eternal purposes on this planet, then stop trying to justify your inactivity.
That’s a lesson Moses had to learn before God could use Him in any significant way. God told Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, but Moses has all kinds of “reasons” why He couldn’t do that.
Moses first excuse was- Who am I? I’m just a nobody- you don’t want me to do this! Yet, God didn’t even try to talk him out of that mindset- because Moses was correct – he was a nobody- without Christ- without grace and mercy through the death and resurrection of Christ- we are all ‘nobodies! Moses was a shepherd out in the wilderness. No one knew him, no one gave him a second thought- he was a nobody.
You and I are also nobody!!! In the eyes of the world, you may be ‘somebody’ but in the eyes of heaven and all the hosts of heaven you are just a small gnat in time!
God’s answer instead of a pep talk was short and sweet, “I will be with you.” Moses you won’t be a lone- I will be there; I am going to lead you—trust me- follow me! But Moses wasn’t finished…
Moses’ second excuse: I don’t know what to say! God gave him the very words to share with the people of Israel, “I Am who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM, has sent me to you. Now go” Moses I’ve given you the words and I will be with you- now go…
Moses’ third excuse; What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? Moses asks the question many of us ask when faced with a real challenge: “What if? What if they don’t believe me? What if something goes wrong? What if it doesn’t work?”
God’s response was: “What is that in your hand?”
God took what Moses had in his hand and demonstrated His power through it. You see, Moses already had everything he needed to do what God called him to do. He didn’t need newer and better equipment. He didn’t need more money or more of this or that. He just needed the Lord who would use what Moses already had to overcome the forces of evil. Moses needed to trust in God’s power!
It’s interesting to note; God didn’t even answer Moses excuses- He demonstrated His power to accomplish all that He asked him to do. Trust me Moses- I got this. Instead, Moses threw out excuse number 4:
I can’t do this! God said, I know you Moses- I know all about you, I know your strengths, your weaknesses, your abilities and your disabilities and I’m sending you. God asks Moses to trust in His design and to trust in His plan.
Trust in God’s plan. You and I must choose to depend on God’s design. We need to rely on His wisdom in the way He made us. That’s what God tells Moses to do. Not only did God give Moses miracles to perform. God gave Moses his mouth with a message to proclaim. And that’s what we need to do if we’re going to be all that God calls us to be. You need to trust that God knew what He was doing when He made you the way He did.
An African proverb says, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.” (Robert Dawson, Lake Park, Georgia.) Trust in God’s provision. Even after the demonstration of power and recognizing that God did know what He was doing- Moses had to try to get out of His calling- one more time:
Send someone else! I really don’t want to do this God- You don’t really want me to do this God- you’ve got the wrong guy God! PLEASE send someone else!!! God simply won’t take “no” for an answer. God is angry with Moses because of his unbelief. God had said, “I AM,” but all Moses could say was, “I am not! They won’t believe me. I can’t talk.” So, God gives him miracles to perform, a mouth to proclaim, and now God gives him a man to prepare for the task ahead.
Moses has finally run out of excuses! He has nothing more to say. God has promised him everything he needs (and more) to lead his people out of Egypt. Moses needs to step out in faith trusting God to supply he needs for the mission ahead. Moses had to take a step of faith and begin the journey to Egypt.
Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
If you want God to supply your needs you need to step out in faith first. You need to begin the journey and start doing what God told you to do. Then, and only then, will God start giving you what you need for the journey. What is God asking you to do?
• Repent of a sin? Or an addiction? 1 John 1:9
• Serve – find out how you can serve at church, in the community Matthew 20:28
• Forgive someone, or seek forgiveness- Matthew 5:23-24
• Take a step of faith in baptism (talk to your pastor)- Acts 2:38
• Give an offering –commit to give regularly to your local place of worship. 2 Corinthians 9:7, Malichi 3:10.
• Share your faith with someone. Matthew 28:19-20
Take the next step. Step into the call-and answer God: Say YES LORD - SEND ME
