When Excuses Fall Short

to the future that God desires for us—future filled with fulfilled promises and not fallen dreams.

First, we need to understand the excuses themselves so that we don’t fall prey to them when they fall on our hearts and lips. Let’s watch Moses and examine his:

Excuse # 1- I’m not qualified

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11)

Our competency must come from God first. Interesting how when Moses was in Egypt of His own accord he wanted to become the deliverer of His people—but now he was unsure. God wants us to lose the pride and rely on Him and His resources.

Listen to the words of the apostle Paul in

2Corinthians 3:5-6

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."


God usually can’t use us until we have tried to serve Him our own way and failed. He loves to use our failures, as he shapes us into stronger more resilient people—and that’s good news.

Elijah sat down under a tree filled with self-pity, and asked God to kill him. Peter had to fail dismally by denying and cursing the Lord before he could be used.

Don’t let anyone convince you to throw away your failures or even worse to let the fear of failure stop you from following God’s will by faith.

It’s through our failures that God is often getting us ready for something bigger and more brilliant.
He told Moses: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12) and He was for Moses and he will be for you.

Let’s look at the next excuse.

Excuse #2- I don’t know enough.

God says, “Okay, I’ll be with you.” But Moses has got more excuses.

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ’The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ’What is his name?’Then what shall I tell them? (Exodus 3:13)

Moses was afraid he would be asked questions he could not answer.

What was God’s answer? "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ’I AM has sent me to you.’ "

God is saying, in essence, “I will be what I will be.” This relationship is going to begin and end with trust. It’s all going to be about trust.

In other words, “Here Moses, tell them this. But understand it’s not about how much you know, but rather it’s about who I am, and it’s about what I will do.”

We can all be guilty of doing exactly what Moses did if we focus on ourselves instead of Him. We want all the answers up front. However, that’s not faith and that’s not how God works.

Finally, the last excuse that we’ll look at is:

Excuse #3- I don’t have the ability.

This is very closely related to the one that is prior to this one, which is “They will not listen to me.”
Moses wants to turn away from God’s will and God’s plan by declaring that God just didn’t equip him for the Job.

He says, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." (Exodus 4:10)

What was God’s response?

The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (Exodus 4:11)

In other words God