Excuses, Excuses

"That's just the way I am."

"That's just my personality."

"That's just how God made me."

"That's just my family history."

How many times have I uttered these excuses to rationalize my behavior? When I find myself challenged in some area, it's tempting to label myself: "I'm just shy. I'm a procrastinator. I'm not a good communicator. I'm not good with finances...etc., etc."

The older I get, the more I've come to "know" myself, and that's a good thing. But it's one thing to know my inherent talents as well as my limitations--for instance, I will never be the "American Idol" (even if they raise the age limit). It's another thing to slap a label on myself and not allow myself to be changed.

I've known people who have resigned themselves to being overweight, or having a temper, or closing themselves off from other people by making excuses that that's just how they are. In reality, I think it's a fear of change that is keeping them stuck in those same roles. It's easy to stay where we are, even if we hate being where we are in life. There's a comfort level there.

Change is very scary. So many people would rather stick to the known--painful as it may be--rather than take a chance on the unknown. And Satan is quick to speak lies of doubt into our heads whenever we try to change. He wants us to believe the lie that just because we've always behaved a certain way, or just because that's how our family behaves, then we'll never be able to change.

As I submit to God's will and allow Him to change me, I am realizing that it's not a piece of cake. There are certain areas of my life that I have made excuses about for years. I have bought into Satan's lies that I'm not going to be able to change. There have been times when I've tried to make changes, but when doubt and discouragement creep in, I find myself falling into the same old behavior patterns again.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, when we're trying to make changes in our life, or trying to accomplish new things, it's vital that we have the support of people who truly believe in us, who can help combat Satan's lies.

It's also important that we stay in God's Word on a daily basis to be reminded that God can indeed transform us. The Bible is chock full of examples of people who God gave opportunities for greatness to, people who were just as flawed and messed up as you and I. But when they stopped making excuses and accepted God's power in their lives, then the transformation truly began.

I want to stop making excuses. I want to stop letting my past dictate my future. Things are going to be different.