Chapter 11- People in the Bible Who Made Excuses

People in the Bible Who Make Excuses

EXCUSES!   I'm QUEEN of Excuses - it could very well be my middle name! However, I'm sure you NEVER [sarcasm] make excuses!  Sorry ladies, we all do it!  It seems to be the American way! ...AND,  we all know that this little trend did not just start, it has been going on for a long, long time ~ even back to those that are written about in the bible.  Joyce talks about a few of those in this chapter.  Moses and Peter are two of them .....but those are not the only ones I can think of ~ the number is many - starting back with Adam and Eve.

Let's look at the definition of excuse again:

       An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness.

Let's be honest - if I am providing an excuse, it's most likely for justification.  Not to mention I'm probably attempting to convince myself that it's truly justified.   Somehow it's easier to make an excuse if we can put some high quality reasoning behind it! Don't you agree?  The issue with this is, we are so good at it, we do it so often, and it becomes second nature - - - we believe it.

In Exodus 4 God was sending Moses into Egypt to bring the Israelite's out. Moses must have found this a very difficult task~because immediately the excuses started...."I'm not eloquent enough", "I speak slow and have a slow tongue".  So who is Moses trying to convince?  GOD?   God knew Moses better than Moses knew himself - He gave Moses the gift of speech - he certainly knew his abilities.....but this did not stop Moses from trying to use these excuses to get out of this job God had planned out for Him. He didn't think he could do it and didn't even want to try so the excuses ran like water, easily flowing from the mouth of Moses.

We are all believers ~ we like to think of ourselves as servants of God, yet we continue to go through life making excuses in those areas that we find tough, that take us out of our comfort zone - or that involve activities that we just don't want to do.  What are your excuses?  Are those excuses keeping you from doing what's right and what you should be doing?  Can you relate to the people of the bible who made excuses?  

Are your excuses keeping you from reaching goals that you think you will never reach?  Are they keeping you from doing those things that will glorify our Heavenly Father?  The following cartoon says it best:

It's just that simple!   If we want to find results  - we have to give up the excuses!  We have to stop imposing our own roadblocks - we have to stop trying to justify excuses and take them for what they are.  We need to take responsibility for our actions and take the steps necessary to overcome our roadblocks.  We have to stop acting like Moses!  or Adam and Eve, or Peter  ~

Thoughts for Today

Who in the bible can you relate to that makes excuses?

Read Exodus 4 as Moses gives God excuses.   Who else in the bible used excuses?

Take Away Assignment

Carry a small pocket pad with you for a few days.  Every time you hear an excuse - yours or someone else's - jot it down and write what hearing that excuse made you feel.

NOW, take on the responsibility of changing you negative excuses into positive forward steps!


Dear God,
Thank you for your many blessings!  - for The Word.  May it's continued teaching be used in every area of our lives.  May we take responsibility for our excuses and through you turn them around in ways that will only glorify you.  We love you.  Amen