Repent - Stop With Excuses

Leaving the doctor's office, I felt a flood of emotions - bitterness, anger, blame, sadness, and more.

I searched for anywhere to place blame that took the spotlight off me, and I began to bargain and rationalize with myself. My narrative looked like this, “I can do this on my own. It cannot be as bad as they say.” Have you ever been there? Have you searched high and low for anyone to place the blame on other than yourself? Excuses are a dime a dozen, and stopping with them takes intentional effort. To rationalize is to make 'rational lies' - ouch, that stings!

Letting the data sink in resulted in some righteous pity parties and a healthy dose of self-loathing as the journey ahead felt daunting. During this time of self-implosion, a significant shift in mindset began to change everything. It was simple, but the thought occurred that whenever I chose to point a finger, there were always more pointing back at me, so maybe it was time to accept the responsibility and stop with the excuses.

Through repentance, I recognized the power the evil one had over me, and healing could only begin when I stopped deflecting the truth. The work would be hard, and the journey would be long, yet the decision was ultimately up to me whether or not to move forward with healing or succumb to the idea that this diagnosis would define who I was.

It appears that excuses are like comfort foods. While they seem good at the time, they rarely serve us in a meaningful way. They are a numbing agent to the complexities in life and aid in our ability to avoid what we should be addressing.

Turning to scripture, we see this mindset reflected directly in the story of the paralytic. In John 5:7 we see the direct conversation at hand - “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Upon reflection of his words, as long as he stayed on the mat and others refused to help him, he had an excuse for why he couldn’t be healed. It was a combination of his current circumstances and the lack of support from others that he had let define him.

For him, repentance when Jesus showed up involved turning away from excuses that kept him on the mat and choosing to accept God's healing. It was about recognizing that healing is often hindered, not just by external circumstances, but by our internal resistance. This was a crucial moment of clarity and one that has the potential to set us all free. The excuses we make have a way of drowning out the truth God desires us to hear. When we choose to listen and let Him define who we are, the excuses will inevitably diminish. Then we are left with the ultimate decision in front of us…

Questions to Consider

1. Describe a pivotal moment when you realized that making excuses was holding you back from healing or progress. What changed your mindset, and how did you begin to accept responsibility?
2. What does turning away from excuses and embracing healing look like for you?