Full disclosure: I wrote this devotion because the Lord wanted me to do something hard, and at 72, I didn't want to work that hard again. I thought it was important to be transparent!
Excuses
It often starts at the beginning—when the Word of God suddenly speaks louder than usual. A verse stands up and refuses to sit back down. You move on, but it follows you. Then a pastor preaches on it that same week. Circumstances begin lining up around it. Conversations echo it. Before long, you realize this isn’t a coincidence. God is speaking. You can’t avoid it, dismiss it, or explain it away. No matter where you turn, the same truth keeps meeting you there.
And when that happens, something else usually follows just as quickly. We begin to explain to God why this can’t be what He’s asking of us.
We don’t argue that He’s speaking. We just start offering reasons. Thoughtful ones. Reasonable ones. Very convincing ones.
“I’m too young.” “I’m too old.” “I don’t have the personality for that.” “I don’t like doing that kind of thing.” “I wouldn’t be good at it.” “I’m already stretched thin.” “I’m not ready.”
The excuses come easily, almost automatically. Sometimes they even sound spiritual. Responsible. Humble. But beneath them is a quiet resistance—not rebellion, just reluctance. Yet the strange thing is this: no matter how well we explain ourselves, the message doesn’t go away.
Every time we come before the Lord in prayer, it’s still there. Every time we open His Word, it resurfaces. The same nudge. The same conviction. The same gentle pressure on our heart. God isn’t angry. He isn’t rushing us. But He isn’t withdrawing the invitation either. That persistence is often how we know this is truly from Him.
When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses didn’t deny that God was calling him. Instead, he began listing reasons why he was the wrong choice.
Exodus 4:10 (NLT) — “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words… I get tongue-tied.’”
Exodus 4:13 (NLT) — “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”
Jeremiah 1:6 (NLT)— “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for You! I’m too young!”
Jeremiah 1:7 (NLT) — “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you…”
Moses wasn’t faithless—he was afraid. And God answered every excuse, not by changing the assignment, but by promising His presence.
Age wasn’t the issue. Ability wasn’t the issue. God wasn’t asking for credentials—He was asking for obedience.
God often places something on our heart long before He gives us confidence about it. He invites us to trust Him before we feel ready. And He waits patiently while we wrestle with our excuses, knowing that surrender rarely comes all at once—it comes one honest step at a time.
Excuses keep us comfortable. Obedience stretches us. But obedience also becomes the place where we discover that God is far more faithful than we imagined.
If you’ve been trying to escape a nudge from God and can’t… If a calling keeps resurfacing no matter how many reasons you offer… If obedience has been delayed by explanations that sound reasonable but feel restless in your spirit… it may be time to stop explaining and start surrendering.
God already knows your fears. He already understands your limitations. And He has already accounted for them. What He’s waiting for isn’t perfection—it’s willingness.
When we finally say yes, we often discover something surprising: God had been preparing us all along. And He is using us to help complete His will and purposes!
Philippians 2:13 (NLT) — “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”
Prayer: Dear Lord, You know the things You have spoken to my heart—the ones I’ve tried to reason away and delay. Forgive me for the excuses rooted in fear instead of trust. Give me a willing heart and the courage to obey You one step at a time. I surrender my excuses to You today and trust that if You are calling me, You will also carry me, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
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