My Excuses.
I don’t feel like it. No one would care whether I write a post today or not. I’m just tired. I have a lot going on. I don’t even know if I have anything to say. Even if I did write something, it might come out wrong. There are plenty of other blogs for people to see.
Mirror Other Excuses.
I don’t feel like showing kindness. I don’t have time. They won’t care whether I call them or not. I’m too tired. I don’t know if it’ll make any difference. I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to look like a fool. I might misrepresent Jesus. I’ve got my own problems to deal with. What if I give then don’t have enough for me? Somebody else will do it if I don’t.
God’s Provision.
Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11). You can do everything through Christ who gives you strength (Phil. 4:13). You have overcome the world (1 John 5:4) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing†(John 15:5).
Is Perfect Provision.
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31). I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor†(John 4:38).
For every one of my excuses, God’s provision has already been made. For every promise, there is a sea of grace to dive into that stirs hope and His life inside.
Is there an excuse you’d like to introduce to His provision today?
18 Comments
How about I’m not: gifted, talented, wise, smooth, creative…yeah, I got a few. I’m glad I can give my “I’m not’s” to the great “I am”. Thanks for sharing your heart bro’
He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40: 29
Amen to all that, Jay. Thanks.
Thanks for reminding us to keep holding on to the truth when the enemy comes knock, knock knocking with his lies!
HisFireFly recently posted..Wet Monday -- Here
I remind myself as much as anyone! Thanks Karin.
Plenty of excuses all the way around… but our God is bigger than all of them and His provision is beyond compare.
We just have to rely on Him.
This seems to be a reoccurring theme today by the way.
Dusty Rayburn recently posted..Safe
Cool. I’m usually behind (always wondered what it would feel like to be ahead), but glad I picked up on a theme today.
Thank you Dusty.
Dear God’s Provision,
I’d like you to meet Michael’s impatience, Michael’s needyness, and Michael’s insecurities.
Michael recently posted..The Mailbox
I think they may have met before. Either that, or they seem very similar to Jason’s impatience, Jason’s neediness, and Jason’s insecurities (how amazing is it that God keeps up with all this?).
Thank you Michael.
I heard many times people tell me God will use me for things I like, He will give me a job that suits me and use my gifts. Well, that is not my experience. He did give me all I wanted but never the way I wanted and not the people and places I wanted. But the ones He gave were better than I could have ever imagined.
Except my job. I did tell Him “No Lord, that is not my kind of job and You want me to tell them of You but don’t know what to say, and my colleagues are not the ones I would be friends with. No Lord, this is not my kind of job, this is not the place for me to be”.
But He did make me stay there and he did make me succeed in all I did and I was succesfull, He did give me words in my mouth to tell of Him and He did make me an instrument of His so people would see the God they never knew and they started to trust me and want to be friends with me.
When I tell Him it’s not for me, He tells me it is and His power is shown.
When I tell Him I don’t know what to say, He comes along with the right words and His love is shown.
When I tell Him I can’t be friends with them, He shows me I can and His faithfullness is shown.
All the glory to Him.
By the way I had a jobinterview this week and the agency told me they are interested in me. Guess, what kind of job. Yep, the same as before. The one I don’t want but that happens when you pray at every jobinterview: Lord, I only want that job when it’s Your will. I want what You want.
I believe sometimes He puts you in a place you don’t like so we don’t think we can do it on our own, in our own strenght but we turn to Him for help and it will be done in His strength and He will be glorified.
Not that it doesn’t scary sometimes. But He is with me.
So true. Following Jesus doesn’t always mean we’ll be going where we want to go, but He does take us where we need to go and we’re needed. Then He gives us a heaping measure of grace to see it through…
Thanks Ani- praying for your job and God’s best for you in all things.
You can do everything through Christ who gives you strength (Phil. 4:13).
I don’t think that means I can do *everything.* But He will give me the strength to do everything He’s called me to do. So maybe that means I have to exercise to build that strength.
But I don’t like to exercise. And I just don’t want to.
Maybe I’ll do it after baseball season.
Sandra Heska King recently posted..I Find Solace
Ha! Sandra, it reminds me of a story I heard once where a man having an extramarital affair came to the pastor and said God was okay with it. “How do you figure?” asked the pastor. “Well, the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Funny, but yikes.
As for me, I was relating the scripture back to my list of excuses. You’re right--we are empowered by grace to do everything He’s given us and I am glad!
Exercise relieves stress for me so I can’t really say much about that.
For someone who didn’t want to write, you sure had a lot to say. This is my favorite post this week. Thanks Jason
Melissa Brotherton recently posted..Lucky
Thank you, Melissa.
my excuse -- “what do I have to add that hasn’t already been said?” -- if that were a valid excuse, all we’d have to do is put a Bible in someone’s hands and wish them well. The community is God’s orchestra -- we all have an instrument to wield.
herbhalstead recently posted..forhonor
I hear you. It’s all been said, but we don’t all understand so we say it again. So glad God is great enough to make us into an orchestra (love that picture--well, and actually just love orchestras). Thanks Herb.
I don’t want to work. I dont want to love my wife and kids becuase it’s hard. I dont want to mow the year. But….as you reminded me, i NEED to and I have the strength to through Christ…
David, http://WWW.RedLetterBelievers.com
Thank you David.