Initially, he'll be playing, jumping, and laughing with his sisters and brother; but whenever time comes to pick up his toys or do anything he deems unpleasant, Kaleb suddenly becomes "lame" and incapacitated. "I can't walk," he'll say, with a look of agony on his face, while whimpering and developing a limp out of the blue. Somehow, it never seems to occur to Kaleb that, while he's walking, albeit with an extremely poorly portrayed limp, he's doing the very thing he's claiming he cannot do.
The other day, when I sent him to collect his matchbox cars after strewing them all over the floor, he told me all abut how he was unable to do it, because of his new emergency medical condition called leg failure.
"Awww, you can't walk?" I said, pretending to be sympathetic. "I guess you'll just have to hop then." With that painstaking look in his eyes, Kaleb nodded in agreement that hopping would be the only possible way he could make it. Sure enough, he took off hopping on one leg. And moments later, he was miraculously healed of his infirmity, running and jumping effortlessly.
My husband and I cracked up as soon as he left the room. Kenya said in between giggles, "It don't make no sense for that boy to lie like that!"
You know, excuse-making isn't unique to small kids. As adults, we may not make ridiculous claims like, "I can't walk," but we will find a convenient out when we're called upon by God to move too far outside our comfort zone.
But, excuses are the enemy of action and by adopting them, we become stagnant. And until we stop falling back on them and using them as a crutch, we'll never seize the moment and walk in our destiny the way God wants us to.
It's time to get rid of excuses, even when they're rooted in legitimate concerns. By that I mean, there are seasons when we honestly do have limitations--not a whole lot of money, connections, and other resources we need to complete the task. Still, that's not a reason not to pursue your goals if God has given you the vision and the green light to step out. When you've got that "divine go ahead," don't sit on your gift and calling.
No.
Do what you can do and trust God to compensate for your areas of lack. He'll make ways for you. I know He will. I've seen Him at work in my own life far too many times to doubt Him.
So, drop the excuses and pick up what you may have put down because of your lack of confidence in your ability to succeed at it. Just begin taking steps and God will continue to open up new opportunities.
If you "can't walk," *with an incredulous look on my face* then, uh, hop on one foot, crawl, or do whatever you have to do to say yes to what God has given you to do!
Hey, ain't no time like the present... and ain't no "present help" like God when you need Him most. He's with you, so get out there and do it.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
