Stop Making Excuses

“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Ro 12:2 NLT

Sometimes our culture markets misinformation and half-truths. And since our parents grew up in that culture, they handed us the same guide for interpreting life. As a result, we may have arrived at these three mistaken conclusions: (1) There’s a special person out there who will make me happy. Only God can do that! Hurting people only hurt other people. “Out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45 NKJV). (2) When I attain a certain position or accumulate a specific amount of money, I’ll be happy. That’s the old “as-soon-as” myth, and it breeds a life of discontent (See Lk 12:15). (3) I can’t help it; it’s just the way I am. That’s the “I’m-not-responsible” lie, and it will stop you dead in your tracks. If you want to be happy, examine the excuses you keep coming up with to justify your behavior. Here are a few of them: “I’m not the only one!” So what? If everybody does it, does that mean God doesn’t take it seriously? Like a kind of group-sin? “I don’t see any harm in it.” And who gave you the authority to write the rules and play God? “I’ll just try it once.” So if you just try it once, does that mean there’ll be no consequences? What are the lies behind your excuses? Examine them. They’re keeping you in spiritual bondage, and they must be unearthed and removed! The Bible calls this “renewing of your mind” (Ro 12:2). Jesus said once you know the truth, your old belief systems will be exposed and you’ll be set free (See Jn 8:32). Imagine being free to become all God wants you to be! Isn’t that worth pursuing?

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