“Jean, remember the book?”
That was the question God had for me in March 2007. The book referenced was one that I had tried to write on my own. Other than the scripture I used, I dubbed it trash. I had spent a lot of time on something that was truly awful.
Now, God had brought it up.
Have you ever given God an excuse? God gave me a new title for that book that day. I was prepared to obey, but I still needed to know how to get it published. One phone call would have gotten me the information, but I put it off. Two weeks later, I received a phone call from the person who had the answer.
There went my excuse.
Have you ever noticed that when you try to give God an excuse that He will remove it? What’s your choice then? You can either obey, or you can make another excuse.
What really holds us back is not that we have an excuse. We don’t really. What holds us back is that we lack faith. If we really believed that we could do what God was asking, we’d be ready and willing. Yet, we say we believe that if God asks, He will enable us to do it.
What’s wrong with that picture?
Perhaps God asks us to do the things that we do not feel able to do alone because He wants us to depend on Him, and He wants the glory. Think about it. If He asked us to do what we already could do, we would not need Him, and we’d get the glory.
Be encouraged. The publishing information was not the only thing I lacked. My first copy of that book was horrible for a reason. When God uses my writing to make a difference, and I know that He has, He gets the glory.
Now, consider Moses.
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Exodus 3:10-11
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
Exodus 4:1
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Exodus 4:10
Moses sure was full of excuses. He had a lot of doubt, but God answered all his questions. Ultimately, God used Him to do exactly what He told Moses He was going to do.
LIFE APPLICATION
Today’s challenge is to consider what God has placed on your heart to do. Realize that if you don’t feel capable, you aren’t alone. Even Moses made excuses. Expect God to ask you to do the things that you do not want to do. Expect Him to work through your weaknesses even more than your strengths. Go ahead. Give it much prayer, and follow God’s direction for your life.