Excuses

From the blog of a friend who has four biological children and five adopted children...

I've had my share of excuses in the past.

Not enough time
Too young
Too old
Can't afford it
Already have four children
Not sure if it's God's will
What will others say?
What will others think?
Can't afford it
What if it's hard on our other kids?
It's not the right time
Not sure I would be good at it
House is too small
Can't afford it
Not sure if I want to start all over again
What would we drive?
What if it's too much work?
What if it's too hard?
Can't afford it

Yet for every excuse God has the answer - Him. It's all about Him, period.

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.

We limit God with our excuses.

We limit God with our fears.

We limit God by putting Him inside a box - a box we have designed on our own.

But by doing this we are actually robbing ourselves -- robbing ourselves of the blessings.

Robbing ourselves of true joy.

Robbing ourselves of truly living.

Because you see, when we take us out of the picture,

our fears,

our excuses,

and we put God as the center of our lives,

the possibilities are endless.

He has the way.

He IS the way.

And all we have to do is stop making excuses and take that first step.
Stop listening to the world.
Stop being afraid of the what ifs

and listen to the One who knows.

The One who has the answers.
The One who really matters.

The truth is, we don't have to be perfect, because He is.
We don't have to have all the answers because He already does.
We don't have to know how because He will show us.
Each day we wait is a day they wait too...

The cost of our excuses is a lot higher than the cost of an adoption
because look at what it's costing them.

Stop making excuses.
They are waiting
and so is He...
To show you the way.

(part two)
What is really behind the our excuses... I am ashamed to say, for me anyway, it's basically boils down to selfishness.

I guess though, in part, that is due to our strong protective nature that goes into effect the second we leave the womb. Out we come- into the big bad world- where immediately we demand our needs are met. These feelings of having our needs met are so strong that being able to think of others' needs has to be taught...

and taught...
and taught some more.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have said to my children "How do you think that would make someone else feel?"

And, I remember my mother saying the same thing to me.

So because we are so in tuned to meet 'our own' needs, I think that often times we use excuses to protect what we do have -just in case we might need it later.

And, the truth is- if we open our home and our hearts to a child- it IS going to cost us something...

our time,
our money,
our attention,
and probably a whole lot more.

Therefore, in our minds, our excuses become legitimate.

After all, we have to be able to protect 'our own' and give 'our own' what they need and want-so much so, that unfortunately, we have a nation full of (sorry) spoiled brats that no longer know how to think of anyone or anything else- but 'our own' needs and wants.

Ouch.

But the truth is, this life is not 'our own'. It's not about us making it through safe. It's not about us making it to the end with the greatest amount of comfort and ease.

I think somewhere along the way we have told ourselves it is okay to come up with these excuses in effort to cling to our securities. We seem to need some guarantee that before we take that first step of reaching out to someone else that our own needs will still be met, that things will go smoothly and that things will be easy.

Can I just be honest with you? They won't. Things won't always be easy.

You will give until it hurts.
You will give of yourself.
You will make sacrifices.
And it will be work.
You will suffer and you will hurt.

Sound familiar?

Like maybe what Jesus did for you and I on the cross?

I am so thankful that God chose to not only care about 'His own'. His one and only son.
I am so thankful for the sacrifices He made.
He gave.
He gave it all.
And we are to follow His example.

He who did not spare His own son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32