Excuses

I try to stay away from negative posts, but honestly, this topic has really weighed heavily on my mind as of late.

Recently, on Netflix, we've been watching shows like "Clean House."  I have found myself truly loving the host Niecy Nash.  Although she's had some issues in her personal life, she makes some very life changing and important points on the show with people who are pack rats and unable to pull themselves out of being so overwhelmed with their clutter.  She doesn't mince words with them and tells it like it is.  In other words, she's being brutally honest, showing people how their clutter is affecting their lives and relationships.

While I love the overarching message of this show, I am finding that I am pulling those same messages into the rest of my life and beginning to truly wonder if I make excuses.  In all of my soul searching, I've been busier cleaning up, picking up and putting things away, not that my house even comes remotely close to ANY of the houses we've seen on the show.  I just felt it's a good thing to just cull what little clutter there is and get more organized.

Along with all of the cleaning and organizing (even more than we've been), I've felt pulled toward my Instructions in Righteousness book by Doorposts.  In looking at the section on "Shifting Blame/Making Excuses," it says in the introduction,

"This is an essential problem to deal with.  We want our children to be honest in examining themselves against God's standard [interesting, huh?], and to learn to readily confess and

 forsake sin.  Excusing our sin and blaming our actions on others is dishonest and self-deceptive,

 and can lock us into immaturity and stagnation.  It can also add a great burden of guilt to a life." 

Boy, doesn't THAT say it all!  I know there are many adults who have a difficult time with this.  Even I have some problems making excuses for not doing things like exercising,  tidying up when I could have and practicing music when I could have, just to name a few.  I can make excuses right now for why I didn't, but truly, there isn't any excuse good enough to truly pass for not doing the things that are needful.  

Hebrews 10:23-25

  "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; 

(for he is faithful that promised;)  

(24)  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

(25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, 

as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:

 and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

[emphasis mine]

Making excuses for NOT gathering with other like minded believers is commonplace.  I know there have been times when I've dragged myself out of bed and just felt like I'd been hit by a MAC truck and wanted to go back to bed and sleep.  I start thinking, "Ugh, it's so far to drive, it's cold, it's rainy, I don't have any clothes to wear, my back hurts, my sinuses are sore, my        [fill in any excuse here]    ."  And pretty soon, I've talked myself out of going to church, receiving uplifting words of encouragement, singing in worship with other believers and learning about God's word.  BUT!  I stop myself from that "stinkin' thinkin'" and get in to the shower, get my hair dried, makeup on, get dressed and have some breakfast.  Pretty soon I'm expecting and anticipating the sweet soul filling balm that only God can give to a hungry believer who's had a rough week.  

AND...

He

Doesn't

EVER

let

me 

down!

As I write this, I have my Instructions in Righteousness book open to read about "What Happens or Should Happen to the Person Who Makes Excuses."  The list is interesting.

Proverbs 28:13  

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:

but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

Matthew 7:1-5  

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.  

(2)  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged:

 and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 

 (3)  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye,

 but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

 (4)  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;

 and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 

 (5)  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; 

and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Proverbs 19:3  

"The foolishness of man perverteth his way: 

and his heart fretteth against the LORD."

Job 9:20  

"If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me:

if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse."

Ezekiel 18:4  

"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: 

the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

Making excuses instead of doing what is needful and right in the eyes of God and His word is disobedience.  I've heard it said, "Delayed obedience is still disobedience."  

Proverbs 28:13  

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: 

but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

I am guilty and I confess this to you today.  I've made excuses and as a fallen, sinful person, I still humbly struggle to teach this concept to my children.  How better to teach them this concept than to simply STOP making excuses?