No more excuses

There's a programme on Radio 1 I love to listen to called 'Rage against the answer machine'. People phone in and get different things off their chest. Here is my platform...here is my time to release my rage...I'm always late!! I hate it! Set a time for 7:30, I'll get there 7:31, 7:35, 7:40 maybe even 8!! Regardless, it has become so bad that I'm known for being late.

I remember at sixth form and living 9 miles away, 2 buses away, an hour and a half bus journey away! Please note the bus I would catch from my house would only come every half hour. So guess what? I would be late!

Then one day, a friend questioned my lateness. How dare she?! I thought. 'I live 2 buses away...an hour and a half bus journey away...9 miles away...my first bus comes every half hour,' were my responses. 'So just leave earlier,' she said. End of conversation. I realised every reason I had given was actually an excuse. Living however many miles away did not explain why I was late. Like my friend said, I could just leave earlier.

My excuses caused me to NOT take responsibility for where I was - the situation I was in. I had to and still have to challenge myself not to make excuses, but to do something about where I am. In new situations, I can be very reserved and not talk openly to people. I 'excuse' myself - telling myself 'it's okay, I'm shy.' We sometimes have crutches in life we use as excuses to stay where we are.

In the Bible, we read the very first excuse found in Genesis 3. The serpent deceives Eve, persuading her to eat of the Tree of Good and Evil after she was told not to. Eve then gave the fruit to Adam and after Adam ate the fruit their nakedness was known. When God spoke with Adam and asked him why he had eaten of the tree, knowing he should not have, he responded, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.' Adam's excuse? Eve gave him the fruit. So where did the fault lie? Adam didn't accept responsibility for a decision that he made. If you look at Adam's words, he said, 'the woman whom YOU gave me'. Adam has not only blamed Eve, but God for giving Eve to him.

Sadly, we can end up in this rut - not taking responsibility for our choices or actions mean we don't move forward. I will never arrive somewhere on time if I don't take responsibility. :P

How much will we grow when we stop making excuses?