How to Extinguish ExcusesSample

Busyness is another excuse for smothering the fire. Martha’s busyness with serving her guests distracted her from sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His words (Luke 10:40-42). The apostles had to pull back from serving tables when their ministry exploded and retreat to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). Sin brings us guilt and then becomes a reason why we don’t go to God, but busyness makes us feel like we are doing something important for God so He can bless us. Anytime ministry for the Lord gets in the way of ministry to the Lord, we are in dangerous territory. For us, our labor for the Lord becomes more important than our love for Him. Work becomes our identity. We become human doings instead of human beings.

And we can fall into the trap of running faster than God’s grace can sustain us. We live our lives being overwhelmed instead of living out of the overflow, and our families get the scraps while we try to give everything to ministry, falsely comforting ourselves that God will take care of our family as long as we are on the ministry treadmill, running non-stop. Busyness steals our fire, and it does not add to our productivity. Remember, we are only branches; our abounding comes from our abiding in the vine, Jesus (John 15:5). Our success doesn’t come from our efforts but from our abiding in Him by walking in the Spirit. Busyness reduces us to machines that only perform work and never rest. Even if we do produce results, we risk losing our fire.

We must be cautious not to allow the devil to use busyness as an excuse to extinguish our fire. Even though it may seem that we are doing things for God, we must ensure that we are not neglecting our relationship with Him. Our identity is found in Christ, not in what we do. Let us prioritize our time with God, abiding in Him, so that we may bear fruit and keep our fire burning.

Let’s Pray:
Father, forgive me for allowing busyness to overshadow my relationship with You. Help me to find my identity in You alone, not in the work I do. Teach me to abide in You, to prioritize my time with You, and to let everything else flow from that place of intimacy. Restore my fire and passion for You, that I may bear fruit that remains. In Jesus’ name, Amen.