Breaking Down Excuses: Embracing Purposeful Living
Summary
In life, we often encounter the notion that there are two kinds of people: those who make a difference and those who make excuses. This idea, though simple, challenges us to reflect on our own lives and the choices we make. Are we actively contributing to the world around us, or are we hiding behind excuses that prevent us from fulfilling our potential? This reflection is crucial as we conclude our series on "Paper Walls: Moving Beyond The Excuses That Hold You Back."
Excuses are like paper walls—seemingly solid barriers that, upon closer inspection, are flimsy and easily torn down. They are often rooted in fear, past experiences, or insecurities, and they prevent us from taking responsibility for our lives. These excuses can become a subtle way of resisting God's will for us, keeping us from the good works He has prepared for us. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are God's creation, made with a purpose, and as followers of Christ, we are called to do good works that make the world a better place.
To break through these paper walls, we must first identify our excuses by listening to our "becauses." We need to interrogate these excuses, asking ourselves why we resort to them and what fears or insecurities they mask. By relabeling them as excuses rather than reasons, we can begin to dismantle them. It's essential to consider what we lose by continuing to make excuses—missed opportunities, relationships, and the chance to fulfill God's purpose for our lives.
Ultimately, we must decide to live without excuses, recognizing that life is too short and the world too broken to hide behind paper walls. We are called to be a means to an end, to fulfill the unique purpose God has for us. By praying for the courage to see ourselves as God sees us, we can leave our excuses behind and embrace the freedom that comes from living in truth.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Simplicity: Simple truths, like the idea that there are two kinds of people—those who make a difference and those who make excuses—can be powerful motivators. They challenge us to reflect on our lives and the choices we make, urging us to move beyond excuses and take action. [02:13]
2. Excuses as Paper Walls: Excuses often appear as insurmountable obstacles, but they are merely paper walls—flimsy barriers that can be torn down. These excuses are often rooted in fear and prevent us from fulfilling our potential and God's purpose for our lives. [03:13]
3. Identifying and Interrogating Excuses: To overcome excuses, we must first identify them by listening to our "becauses." By interrogating these excuses, we can uncover the fears and insecurities they mask, allowing us to dismantle them and move forward. [19:06]
4. The Cost of Excuses: Continuing to make excuses comes at a high cost—missed opportunities, strained relationships, and the risk of missing out on God's plan for our lives. By recognizing what we lose, we can find the motivation to break free from excuses. [25:12]
5. Living with Purpose: We are created by God with a unique purpose, and living behind excuses prevents us from fulfilling that purpose. By praying for the courage to see ourselves as God sees us, we can leave our excuses behind and embrace the freedom of living in truth. [32:16]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Two Kinds of People
[00:34] - A Lesson from Al Cain
[01:08] - Making a Decision
[02:01] - Oversimplifications
[02:13] - Making a Difference vs. Making Excuses
[02:46] - Series Conclusion: Paper Walls
[03:13] - The Nature of Excuses
[04:21] - Missing Out Due to Excuses
[05:06] - Fear-Based Excuses
[07:20] - The Source of Fear
[09:12] - Missing God's Plan
[11:22] - Apostle Paul's Insight
[12:04] - Created with Purpose
[14:00] - God's To-Do List for You
[16:06] - Excuses and Responsibility
[17:48] - Breaking Through Paper Walls
[24:40] - The Cost of Excuses
[30:17] - Living with Purpose
[32:02] - Prayer for Courage
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
2. John 8:32 - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the Apostle Paul mean when he says we are "God’s handiwork" in Ephesians 2:10? How does this relate to the idea of having a purpose? [11:46]
2. In the sermon, what are "paper walls," and how do they relate to the excuses we make in our lives? [03:13]
3. How does the speaker describe the impact of fear on our decision-making and the excuses we create? [05:06]
4. What is the significance of the phrase "the truth will set you free" in the context of overcoming excuses? [32:54]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding that we are created for good works influence the way we view our excuses and the barriers we perceive in our lives? [14:00]
2. The sermon suggests that excuses can prevent us from fulfilling God's purpose. How might this understanding change the way someone approaches their daily decisions and actions? [16:44]
3. What role does fear play in the formation of excuses, and how can recognizing this fear help someone move beyond their paper walls? [07:20]
4. How can the concept of being "set free" by the truth be applied to someone struggling with excuses in their personal or spiritual life? [32:54]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you used an excuse to avoid taking action. What was the "because" you used, and how might you relabel it as a paper wall? [19:06]
2. Identify a specific fear that has been holding you back. What steps can you take this week to confront and overcome this fear? [05:06]
3. Consider a relationship in your life that has been strained due to excuses. What is one action you can take to begin repairing that relationship? [25:12]
4. How can you incorporate the practice of praying for courage to see yourself as God sees you into your daily routine? What difference do you think this might make? [32:02]
5. Think about a missed opportunity in your life that was a result of making excuses. What can you do now to ensure you don't miss similar opportunities in the future? [25:12]
6. What is one specific area in your life where you feel God is calling you to make a difference? How can you start taking steps toward that calling this week? [14:00]
7. How can you hold yourself accountable to live without excuses? Is there someone in your life who can support you in this journey? [29:13]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Simple Truths
Simple truths can serve as powerful motivators, urging us to reflect on our lives and the choices we make. The idea that there are two kinds of people—those who make a difference and those who make excuses—challenges us to examine our actions and intentions. Are we actively contributing to the world, or are we hiding behind excuses that prevent us from fulfilling our potential? This reflection is crucial as it encourages us to move beyond excuses and take meaningful action. By embracing simplicity, we can find clarity and purpose in our lives, aligning ourselves with the good works God has prepared for us. [02:13]
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: What simple truth can you embrace today to motivate you to take action in an area where you've been making excuses?
Day 2: Excuses as Paper Walls
Excuses often appear as insurmountable obstacles, but they are merely paper walls—flimsy barriers that can be torn down. These excuses are often rooted in fear, past experiences, or insecurities, and they prevent us from taking responsibility for our lives. By recognizing that these barriers are not as solid as they seem, we can begin to dismantle them and move forward. It is essential to confront these excuses, understanding that they are a subtle way of resisting God's will for us. By doing so, we can fulfill the unique purpose God has for us and make a positive impact on the world. [03:13]
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one "paper wall" in your life. What steps can you take today to begin tearing it down?
Day 3: Identifying and Interrogating Excuses
To overcome excuses, we must first identify them by listening to our "becauses." These are the reasons we give for not taking action, and they often mask deeper fears and insecurities. By interrogating these excuses, we can uncover the underlying issues and begin to dismantle them. This process requires honesty and self-reflection, as well as a willingness to confront the fears that hold us back. By relabeling these "becauses" as excuses rather than valid reasons, we can take the first step toward breaking free from them and moving forward in our lives. [19:06]
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!" (Psalm 139:23, ESV)
Reflection: What is one "because" you often use as an excuse? What fear or insecurity does it mask, and how can you confront it today?
Day 4: The Cost of Excuses
Continuing to make excuses comes at a high cost—missed opportunities, strained relationships, and the risk of missing out on God's plan for our lives. By recognizing what we lose when we hide behind excuses, we can find the motivation to break free from them. Life is too short and the world too broken to allow excuses to hold us back. We are called to be a means to an end, to fulfill the unique purpose God has for us. By understanding the cost of excuses, we can make a conscious decision to live without them and embrace the freedom that comes from living in truth. [25:12]
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a recent opportunity you missed due to an excuse. How can you prepare to seize the next opportunity that comes your way?
Day 5: Living with Purpose
We are created by God with a unique purpose, and living behind excuses prevents us from fulfilling that purpose. By praying for the courage to see ourselves as God sees us, we can leave our excuses behind and embrace the freedom of living in truth. This involves recognizing our worth and potential as God's creation and committing to the good works He has prepared for us. By aligning our lives with God's purpose, we can make a meaningful difference in the world and experience the fulfillment that comes from living in accordance with His will. [32:16]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel called to make a difference? How can you begin to take action today to fulfill that purpose?
Quotes
"There are two kinds of people in the world, people who make a difference and people who make what? Excuses, yeah. There are people who make a difference, there people who make excuses. So the question is, which kinda person do you wanna be? The kinda person that makes the world better? The kinda person that makes the people around them better? Or do you wanna be somebody who lives behind what we've called paper walls?" [00:02:07]
"Excuses are a lot like paper walls. That from a distance it looks real, it looks like an actual obstacle, it looks like there's no way through, and we present it that way to ourselves, and we presented that way to other people. And then before we know it, our excuses become our becauses. Becauses that we retreat to when certain topics come up, certain people come up, certain challenges come up, becauses of that we hide behind and defend ourselves with." [00:03:07]
"Is it possible that you're missing out because you have walled yourself in? Is it possible? Is it possible that there is something on the other side of your excuses that is good? Is there something on the other side of your excuses that you would benefit from? Is there something on the other side of your excuses that would allow you to make the people around you better and make the world better?" [00:04:21]
"Excuses are like kryptonite to your soul. They slowly kill you on the inside, they kill us on the inside, because we're not able to do the thing that we were created to do. We're not able to be the person that we were created, as we're gonna see in just a few minutes to be. Excuses. And we don't do this on purpose. Excuses make us small and excuses ultimately make us selfish and relationally they make us unavailable." [00:07:47]
"Excuses can become a subtle way of resisting the will of God for our lives. Just simple case in point. We've been commanded to forgive. And if you were to come up here and tell your story, all of us would hear your story and go, 'Wow, that is a real reason not to forgive.' And your savior, not me. Your savior would say, 'No, it is a paper wall, and I have something for you and you are missing out on what I have for you, because you're hiding.'" [00:16:40]
"For we are God's creation, created in Christ Jesus... Check this out. 'To do good works.' That means that God has something for you to do! God has a To-do list for you. And this isn't about being good for goodness sake, or even for your sake. If you're in the new covenant, this is about being good for the sake of the people around you in the world's sake." [00:14:00]
"What do I lose If I continue to excuse? what do I lose If I continue to excuse? what do I give up? What do I walk away from? What do I miss out on? What do you give up? Who do you give up? What do you miss out on? Who ends up missing out on you? Who for your entire marriage or your entire relationship with him wonders if they're ever gonna have all of you?" [00:25:05]
"You were created by God to be a means to an end, and until you discover what that end is, there's always gonna be something missing in you because you were made in the image of God. You are an image bearer. You are a purpose bearer and anything that's an obstacle to discovering what that is and doing it, you just need to get rid of it." [00:30:13]
"Life is too short. The world is too broken. God is too great. So would you identify 'em? Would you be willing to interrogate 'em? Relabel 'em? Would you spend some time considering what you're giving up and what you're losing? If you don't and then let's be done with them and let's pray every day." [00:31:46]
"Would you begin to pray heavenly father, I wanna see me the way the way you see me as a creation, with something to do, with a purpose... I wanna see the way you see me so I can be who you created me to be, not for my sake, but for the sake of the world and for the sake of the people around me." [00:32:08]
"There are things worth taking one season to the next, one year to the next excuses are not one of those things. Our excuses need to be left behind. And I hope that you will choose to leave them behind, for your sake, for your family's sake, for your future sake, for the community sake and for the world's sake." [00:32:36]
"Invite the light of the world to light up your life. And if you do, Jesus made this promise. 'You will know the truth, and then you will be free.'" [00:33:01]
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