When Moses had his encounter with the burning bush, the Lord spoke to him and informed him that He was going to do the following:
"And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:9-10).
It is intriguing that this great man of God, who has been held up as the model of obedience and productivity throughout the ages, was an excuse-maker just like we are. Let's take a look at his excuses over the next few entries, starting with the first one he uttered after the Lord spoke to him that he was going on a trip back to the land of his birth. When God told Moses what he was to do, Moses said in so many words, "I am not the one!" To be specific, Moses responded, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11). It seems Moses was suffering from low self-esteem. God had just revealed and confirmed Moses' purpose to him, a purpose that Moses at one time knew and proclaimed, yet there he was, trying to explain why he wasn't the one to do the deed.
Have you ever done the same thing? Are you doing it now? You pray to know and fulfill your purpose. When God reveals it to you, however, you may be surprised when God complies with our request. A litany of excuses often follows that revelation when you inform God that you don't have the talent, time, money, education, experience, or permission from your spouse to do His will. Are you struggling with low self-esteem or lack of confidence in your purpose quest? As you grappling with the fact that it is not enough to know God's will; you must submit to it? Does your mind focus on reasons why you cannot do God's will instead of ways you can? If you answer yes to any of those questions, you can take some consolation from the fact that Moses struggled with the same thing, yet went on to do great things. In future entries, we will look at more of the excuses Moses produced and see if you identify with any (or all) of them.
Comments