How to Extinguish ExcusesSample

Another excuse that people often use to not build up their fire is disappointment. What they had hoped for, believed for, fasted for, and prayed for didn’t happen. Such unmet expectations become a breeding ground for offense (a “fence”) with God, which extinguishes their spiritual flame. It’s like water poured out on their fire. Solomon said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12).

The two disciples who were walking on the road to Emmaus felt that way too. They were so disappointed at the outcome of all the events the weekend Jesus died. They said, “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). Their Messianic hopes had been stirred, but the dream of a liberated Israel died with Jesus. Everyone who has walked with the Lord has experienced this at some time or another. No matter how much faith you have and how much you fast and pray, some things just don’t go the way you hope. Other things take longer to develop than you had planned for. Instead of building a fire, some people build an offense against God.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were Jesus’ friends. However, in John 11, when Lazarus got sick, Jesus didn’t run quickly to heal Him. I’m pretty sure the sisters thought that since they were such close friends, they would get special treatment. Isn’t that one of the benefits of close friendship? But Jesus came late. It was so late that Lazarus had already died; they had held his funeral four days earlier. That sure didn’t meet the sisters’ expectations, nor was it an answer to their prayers.

How many times have we found ourselves in the same place? We work at developing a closer relationship with the Lord, which then fuels our faith that all our prayers will be answered. And then, whenever prayer doesn’t get answered, it throws us off balance. We wonder, "What’s the point of all my praying, fasting, giving, and serving?" Don’t get me wrong, we don’t serve God to get something from Him, but it still hits home when life gets tough and it seems like He is ignoring us.

Mary and Martha were asking for the healing of their brother, but they didn’t get a healing. Instead, they got a resurrection. Jesus didn’t meet their expectations; He exceeded them. I know that not every story will have a happy ending like this on this side of heaven. But we must rest assured in God’s character that He is good even when everything around us is not.

I encourage you to go hard after God. Seek Him through prayer and fasting until those excuses that are hindering you from going deeper are fully extinguished.

Let’s Pray:
Lord, I confess that disappointment and unmet expectations have, at times, extinguished my fire for You. Help me to trust in Your goodness, even when things don’t go as I had hoped. Teach me to build a fire in the midst of disappointment, knowing that You can exceed my expectations. Restore my hope and reignite my passion for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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