What’s Holding You Back?

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7

My husband and I recently returned home from an awesome Alaskan cruise. I love to take to the deep waters whenever I can cruise in luxury. We were blessed to be ministered to and fellowship with the renowned television teacher, Dr. Charles Stanley. He is nearly 82 years old, yet he is still spreading the gospel and encouraging believers as he travels the globe.

As usual on a cruise, you will see and meet many people from different parts of the country and the world. There were nearly 2,000 people aboard this luxury liner, but my attention was drawn to the number of people who were cruising who had mobility challenges. I marveled at the fact that they weren’t allowing their present situation to hinder them from enjoying the wonders of God’s magnificent creations. I saw people walking with canes, walkers and crutches, and pulling oxygen tanks, wearing surgical shoes and riding in wheel chairs. There were others who weren’t using an apparatus to get around, but it was obvious that movement for them wasn’t an easy chore.

While observing the people with limited mobility, I couldn’t help but think of the people I know who use numerous excuses for not doing what God has called them to do. Some are able bodied and others have physical limitations. Using excuses to escape the call of God is nothing new, however. There were many biblical people who tried to avoid the call of God by using excuses. Among them were Moses, Jeremiah, Gideon and Jonah. When they were called, each of them focused on their limitations rather than God’s ability to work through them.

My friend, are you one of those who has responded to God’s call with an excuse because of your perceived limitations? God didn’t accept excuses during biblical times, and He is not accepting them in our contemporary society. When Moses used his stuttering as an excuse for not talking to Pharaoh and the people, God asked Moses, “Who made your mouth?” In essence, He was saying, who has power over your mouth? Jeremiah thought he could escape being a prophet because he was young and inexperienced. God told him not to think that way because He had already anointed and appointed him from the womb. Gideon thought because he wasn’t a prominent man in the community that he shouldn’t lead an army. But God assured him that He had already given him the power, strategy and victory before the battle began. Of course, we know Jonah was just defiant because he wanted his enemies to suffer. He didn’t want his enemies to experience God’s love and mercy. But God showed him who was in charge.

As you can see from these examples, God doesn’t accept excuses. Can the clay tell the Potter how to make it? (see Romans 9:20) God knows exactly how He made us. He knows our present situation, and He knows our purpose for being. None of us are adequate or sufficient in and of ourselves to carry out our assignment from God. It is God Who equips, anoints and appoints us for the task. Anything God asks us to do, is greater than our human ability. God doesn’t expect us to rely on human strength and knowledge alone. He does, however, expect us to step out in faith, believing that He will give us the grace, strength and strategy to complete the assignment. Our job is to just get “moving” with or without a cane, crutch or wheelchair. That is exactly what Abraham did when God commanded him to leave his homeland and go to an unidentified place. Thus, he witnessed God’s miracle working power in his life.

So, what is holding you back? What are your excuses? No matter what they are…God doesn’t want to hear them. So get busy!

You can read more about “Excuses” as a dream killer in the book “Hold On To Your Dream” by Dr. Caretha Crawford.

Posted by on Monday, August 11th, 2014 @ 5:28PM
Categories: Inspirational