What’s your excuse for avoiding God’s direction?
June 26th, 2007 Posted in Spiritual Markers
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Derek over at Waiting in Athens has a powerfully short blog entry related to what excuses we offer to God for not following him. Here they are:
- God hasn’t spoken to me directly. This dangerous excuse has many forms, including: “I’m listening for His voice”, “I’m waiting on Him”, or the ever popular “I’m praying about it”. While the revealing of God’s will is paramount, we so often use this as an “out” to the dream He has for us. If He told us everything about His day-to-day will through Scripture and prayer, what room would there be for faith? Paul, in Acts 16:6-8 tries to go into three different areas to spread the Gospel. He knows that there is a plan for his ministry, but he doesn’t wait around: he acts. The Spirit guides him, and then the dream is made clear to Paul in what we know as the Macedonian call. The point here? Paul realized that inaction is dangerous to the Gospel. Dreams, as long as they fit within scripture as is, do not need to be detailed by God Himself from the very beginning: they are often revealed as you’re walking in the wrong direction.
- I don’t have _____. This is another very dangerous excuse. Fill in the blank with whatever you like: time, resources, people, etc. There are countless examples, both Scriptural and modern, of times when God’s providence has triumphed over the lack of something. It’s often said, and is so very true, that God will provide a way for His will.
- I have _____. This is the flip side of the above. It can be anything from an existing job to a family to feed to some other perceived obligation. Again, God will provide a way for His will.
Which of these do you find yourself trying to use most frequently? How will you resolve to release this as both a lie and an excuse? Why are you afraid of surrendering your life completely to Christ?
June 26th, 2007 at 10:53 am
How often I say “I don’t have ______.” I guess sometimes mine is “I want ______ so I don’t have _______.” Thanks for sharing this. It goes right along with what I have been struggling with for years. Turning it all to him and giving him everything, rather it be resources, heart, or time.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Okay I am irritated because my dissappeared….will be back in a few….
June 26th, 2007 at 11:04 am
my comment dissappeared that is….
June 26th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Does GOD not put obstacles in place-just the same-so you will do his will and not your own.My dreams may not always be what GOD has in store for me-right?
I am guilty of using the very last excuse-and one better.Kendall.I have one unfulfilled dream(other than owning my own home-credit issues)and that is becoming a case manager….Here is where the excuse comes in.Being a mother to Kendall-you have to be ready for anything…curve balls are thrown my way all the time.At some point in time-she WILL be homeschooled.B/C of the climate of our highschools is not such for a special needs child/teen.Drugs,violence,sex…things she is oblivious to.Anyhow I am birdwalking to my soap box….I stay at home not for what the current situation is but how I know it will be.She WILL be homeschooled,the curve ball is when.I am taking it one day at a time,one year at a time.I never know when that time will come….but to enroll in school with the prospect of dropping out-makes no sense.I believe(as I wrote on Shelley’s blog)that GOD has me on this specific path with Kendall/my life for a reason….Don’t you agree?
June 28th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
KT, I do agree that God is a God of purpose and intentionality. He is Sovereign.
I don’t think, however, that God places obstacles in our path to “force” us to do his will, so to speak. I think he allows us to choose and also freely allows us to experience blessings and consequences in light of how God-centered our decisions are.