Breaking Free from Excuses to Embrace Potential
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the concept of excuses and how they can become barriers that prevent us from fulfilling our God-given potential. We began by discussing the common saying that there are two kinds of people: those who make a difference and those who make excuses. The challenge is to identify which type we want to be. Excuses often appear as legitimate reasons, but they are usually rooted in fear, insecurity, or past failures. These excuses can become walls that we hide behind, preventing us from experiencing the fullness of life that God has planned for us.
We delved into the idea that excuses are like kryptonite to the soul, making us small, selfish, and unavailable to others. They are fueled by lies and can cause us to miss out on God's unique plan for our lives. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminds us that we are God's creation, designed to do good works that He has prepared in advance for us. By hiding behind excuses, we risk missing out on these divine opportunities.
To break free from the walls of excuses, we need to take five not-so-easy steps. First, identify the excuses by listening to our "because" statements. Second, interrogate these excuses to understand their root causes. Third, relabel them as mere excuses rather than valid reasons. Fourth, consider what we lose by continuing to make these excuses. Finally, share our discoveries with someone else for accountability.
By following these steps, we can dismantle the walls of excuses and step into the life God has planned for us. This process may be uncomfortable and even painful, but it is essential for personal growth and fulfilling our purpose. We concluded with a prayer, asking God to help us see ourselves as He sees us, so we can become who He created us to be for the sake of the world and those around us.
### Key Takeaways
1. Excuses as Barriers: Excuses often appear as legitimate reasons but are usually rooted in fear, insecurity, or past failures. These excuses become walls that prevent us from experiencing the fullness of life that God has planned for us. By identifying and dismantling these walls, we can step into our God-given potential. [02:08]
2. Excuses and Fear: Most excuses are based on fear—fear of failure, embarrassment, or abandonment. This fear can stem from past experiences and can paralyze us, preventing us from moving forward. Recognizing and confronting these fears is crucial for personal growth and fulfilling God's plan for our lives. [03:57]
3. God's Unique Plan: The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are God's creation, designed to do good works that He has prepared in advance for us. By hiding behind excuses, we risk missing out on these divine opportunities and the unique plan God has for our lives. [06:43]
4. Steps to Overcome Excuses: To break free from the walls of excuses, we need to identify, interrogate, relabel, and consider the cost of our excuses. This process may be uncomfortable and even painful, but it is essential for personal growth and fulfilling our purpose. [08:02]
5. Accountability and Freedom: Sharing our discoveries about our excuses with someone else provides accountability and helps us stay committed to overcoming them. By doing so, we can experience the freedom to be who God created us to be, for the sake of the world and those around us. [18:37]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:14] - Two Kinds of People
[02:08] - Excuses as Walls
[02:51] - The "Because" Narrative
[03:57] - Fear and Excuses
[04:39] - Excuses as Kryptonite
[05:08] - Missing God's Plan
[05:49] - Ephesians 2:10
[06:43] - God's Good Works
[08:02] - Five Steps to Break Through
[09:11] - Step 1: Identify Excuses
[10:37] - Step 2: Interrogate Excuses
[13:35] - Step 3: Relabel Excuses
[16:39] - Step 4: Consider the Cost
[18:37] - Step 5: Tell Someone
[20:15] - Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV): "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
### Observation Questions
1. According to Ephesians 2:10, what are we created to do? How does this relate to the concept of excuses discussed in the sermon? [06:43]
2. What are some common fears that fuel our excuses, as mentioned in the sermon? [03:57]
3. How does the sermon describe the impact of excuses on our relationships and personal growth? [04:39]
4. What are the five steps mentioned in the sermon to break free from the walls of excuses? [08:02]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding that we are God’s handiwork, as stated in Ephesians 2:10, influence our perspective on making excuses? [06:43]
2. Why is it important to identify and interrogate our "because" statements, according to the sermon? [09:11]
3. How can relabeling our excuses as mere excuses rather than valid reasons help us move forward in our spiritual journey? [13:35]
4. What might be some of the costs or losses associated with continuing to make excuses, as discussed in the sermon? [16:39]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you made an excuse. What was the underlying fear or insecurity behind it? How can you confront this fear? [03:57]
2. Think about a "because" statement you often use. How can you start to interrogate and relabel it as an excuse? [10:37]
3. What are some good works that you feel God has prepared for you, but you have been avoiding due to excuses? How can you take the first step towards them? [06:43]
4. Identify one area in your life where you feel stuck due to excuses. What do you think you are losing by not moving past this excuse? [16:39]
5. Who can you share your discoveries about your excuses with for accountability? How can this person help you stay committed to overcoming them? [18:37]
6. How can you incorporate the prayer from the sermon into your daily routine to help you see yourself as God sees you? [19:23]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to dismantle one of your excuse walls and step into the life God has planned for you? [08:02]
Devotional
### Day 1: Excuses as Barriers
Excuses often appear as legitimate reasons but are usually rooted in fear, insecurity, or past failures. These excuses become walls that prevent us from experiencing the fullness of life that God has planned for us. By identifying and dismantling these walls, we can step into our God-given potential. [02:08]
Excuses can be deceptive, often masquerading as valid reasons for inaction. They are typically rooted in deeper issues such as fear, insecurity, or past failures. These excuses act as barriers, preventing us from experiencing the fullness of life that God has planned for us. When we allow these walls to stand, we limit our potential and miss out on the opportunities that God has uniquely designed for us.
To overcome these barriers, it is essential to recognize them for what they are—excuses. By identifying and dismantling these walls, we can step into the life that God has intended for us. This process requires honesty and courage, as it involves confronting our deepest fears and insecurities. However, the reward is a life lived to its fullest potential, in alignment with God's plan.
Bible Passage:
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one excuse you have been using to avoid stepping into a new opportunity? How can you begin to dismantle this excuse today?
### Day 2: Excuses and Fear
Most excuses are based on fear—fear of failure, embarrassment, or abandonment. This fear can stem from past experiences and can paralyze us, preventing us from moving forward. Recognizing and confronting these fears is crucial for personal growth and fulfilling God's plan for our lives. [03:57]
Fear is a powerful emotion that can paralyze us and prevent us from moving forward. Many of our excuses are rooted in fear—fear of failure, embarrassment, or abandonment. These fears often stem from past experiences that have left us feeling insecure and hesitant to take risks. When we allow fear to dictate our actions, we miss out on the opportunities that God has placed before us.
Recognizing and confronting these fears is crucial for personal growth and fulfilling God's plan for our lives. It requires us to be honest with ourselves about the root causes of our excuses and to take steps to overcome them. By doing so, we can break free from the paralyzing grip of fear and step into the life that God has designed for us.
Bible Passage:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18, ESV)
Reflection:
Identify a fear that has been holding you back. How can you confront this fear with the truth of God's love and promises?
### Day 3: God's Unique Plan
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are God's creation, designed to do good works that He has prepared in advance for us. By hiding behind excuses, we risk missing out on these divine opportunities and the unique plan God has for our lives. [06:43]
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, emphasizes that we are God's creation, designed to do good works that He has prepared in advance for us. This means that each of us has a unique purpose and plan that God has set out for our lives. However, when we hide behind excuses, we risk missing out on these divine opportunities and the fulfillment of God's unique plan for us.
Understanding that we are created for a purpose can be a powerful motivator to overcome our excuses. It reminds us that our lives have meaning and that God has specific tasks and roles for us to fulfill. By stepping out from behind our excuses, we can embrace the opportunities that God has prepared for us and live a life that is aligned with His will.
Bible Passage:
"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 good work that you believe God has prepared for you? How can you take a step towards fulfilling this today?
### Day 4: Steps to Overcome Excuses
To break free from the walls of excuses, we need to identify, interrogate, relabel, and consider the cost of our excuses. This process may be uncomfortable and even painful, but it is essential for personal growth and fulfilling our purpose. [08:02]
Breaking free from the walls of excuses involves a deliberate and often uncomfortable process. The first step is to identify our excuses by paying attention to our "because" statements. Next, we need to interrogate these excuses to understand their root causes. Once we have a clear understanding, we can relabel them as mere excuses rather than valid reasons. It is also important to consider what we lose by continuing to make these excuses.
This process may be uncomfortable and even painful, but it is essential for personal growth and fulfilling our purpose. By taking these steps, we can dismantle the walls of excuses and step into the life that God has planned for us. It requires honesty, courage, and a willingness to confront our fears and insecurities, but the reward is a life lived to its fullest potential.
Bible Passage:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one "because" statement you often use as an excuse? How can you begin to relabel and dismantle this excuse today?
### Day 5: Accountability and Freedom
Sharing our discoveries about our excuses with someone else provides accountability and helps us stay committed to overcoming them. By doing so, we can experience the freedom to be who God created us to be, for the sake of the world and those around us. [18:37]
Accountability is a powerful tool in overcoming excuses. When we share our discoveries about our excuses with someone else, we invite them to hold us accountable and help us stay committed to overcoming them. This process of sharing and accountability can provide the support and encouragement we need to break free from the walls of excuses.
By doing so, we can experience the freedom to be who God created us to be. This freedom not only benefits us but also those around us, as we are able to fulfill our God-given potential and make a positive impact on the world. Accountability helps us stay on track and ensures that we do not fall back into old patterns of making excuses.
Bible Passage:
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)
Reflection:
Who is one person you can share your discoveries about your excuses with for accountability? How can you reach out to them today and invite them to support you in this journey?
Quotes
1. "There are two kinds of people in the world. People who make a difference and people who make excuses. So the question is, which kind of person do you and I want to be? The kind of person that makes the world better? The kind of person that makes people around us better? Or do we want to be someone who lives behind what we've called the excuse walls?" [01:14] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Excuses are like walls. From a distance, they look real. The immobile objects, actual reasons. We present them that way to ourselves and other people. And before we know it, our excuses become becauses. Because we retreat to. Hide behind and defend ourselves from the why don't you? Why haven't you? Why do you always? Why do you keep on? Why don't you start? Why don't you finish? Why did you quit?" [02:08] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Now, most excuses are based in fear. And, and a fear of failure is difficult to admit, especially to ourselves, isn't it? Fear often stems from something we've experienced once and don't want to experience it again. It creates a fear of failure, maybe of embarrassment or abandonment. But most of the time we don't know where it comes from. Something just triggers our because narrative. So off we go and we don't grow. And, and we get stuck. You could say excuses are kryptonite to the soul. They kill us slowly." [03:57] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Excuses make us small, selfish and unavailable relationally. And excuses are, are fueled by a lie and we end up lying to other people. You miss out and the world misses out on you. It's all because an excuse became the boss of you, the tyrant or the king, you know, that says, you can't, you shouldn't, you already tried. Somebody already did that, tried that, wrote that, started that or failed at that." [04:39] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "What if God has a plan and purpose for your life? What if you're missing out because you're hiding out, excusing out, opting out because of fear or insecurity or something someone called or labeled you? What if that is holding you back from what it is that God created you to do and be? Can I pause here for a minute and just kind of get in your face? Because excuses are subtle ways of refusing to take responsibility for our lives. For Jesus followers, excuses can become a subtle way of resisting the will of God for our lives." [06:43] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "You can't abandon an excuse you have failed to identify. And the best way to identify an excuse. We've we've talked about this. The best way to identify them is to kind of get in the habit of listening to you. Your because. Listen to your because I can't because I quit because I won't because I have this debt because I'm out of shape because the reason that I don't exercise is because, you know, listen to your because because we have because we have a tendency. It's you could say it's kind of a rut in the road and we just kind of go to the same because over and over." [10:37] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Answering why will reduce the power of the excuse. When you bring an excuse into the conversation, it will reduce the power of the excuse. When you bring an excuse into the light, it gets lighter, it gets smaller, it gets sillier, more ridiculous, and it becomes, quite honestly, disposable. Then it's easy to leave behind." [13:35] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "If I build it. In other words. If I created this wall. That's not even really a wall. But if I built it. I can tear it down. I'm not a victim. I'm not a prisoner to my past. I'm not a prisoner to what I've been labeled. I'm not a prisoner to the fact that I've tried and failed once. I'm not a prisoner to my fear. I've been created by God to do stuff. And if I'm a creation. I'm a means to an end." [14:10] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You were created in God's image to create something good in the world and for the world. Anything that's an obstacle to discovering and doing it is something you need to get rid of. So, let's decide. No more hiding. No more excusing. Make up your mind. After all, you know, there are two kinds of people in the world. There are people who are not good. People who are not you. And then there is someone who is you." [19:23] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Excuses need to be left behind for your sake, for your family's sake. For your future's sake, for the community's sake, and for the world's sake. Leave your excuses behind. Invite the light of the world to light up your life. And then you'll know the truth. And the truth will set you free." [20:15] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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