Conquering Life’s Excuses

There have been stages of life where I have struggled with carving out time to spend with Jesus. Whether it was reading my Bible, spending time in prayer, or even going to church, the battle to make time for Jesus was always present amidst all of the responsibilities and “to dos” I had. 

Having a kid changes a lot of things. It makes waking up early before them to have quiet time difficult because you may have been awake two or three times in the middle of the night. Adding the responsibility of taking care of a child on top of working, cleaning the house, and making time for your husband, family, and friends is a lot to manage. It can all seem overwhelming and easy to say “I’m too tired today. Let’s not go to church” or “I’ll read my Bible tonight” but then pass out on the couch. 
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How many times in our lives have we made excuses to validate our reason for not spending time with God? The pressures and expectations of the world can be crushing. It is easier now than ever to have an excuse for everything, especially spending time with God. Oftentimes in our lives, the Lord can get the short end of the stick. 

However, Jesus warns us, in Luke 14, to not make excuses or be distracted from furthering His kingdom and our relationship with Him. He tells the Pharisees and disciples the parable of the master who invited all of his friends to his house for dinner. All of them made excuses for why they could not come. 

There will be times where we are exhausted and we need to go to Him for rest. Jesus does understand that our lives are tiring at times. However, Jesus warns that we must not put other things or excuses in front of Him in our lives. This includes our spouse, family, friends, housework, activities and our kids’ activities too.

Luke 14:26 says “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” ‭‭Jesus calls us to be his disciples. A disciple conquers distractions or excuses, and focuses on Christ. While we may not see the choices we make in our lives as choosing our agenda over God, our low prioritization of Him stems from our sinful, selfish nature. When we spend more time with the Lord, we can handle the stress of our daily lives easier because we are equipped to handle them. 

What small steps can you take this week to put Jesus first again in your life? Whether it is asking your husband to get up with the kids so you can read your Bible, or even heading to church when you are tired and then going to bed early the night after, I encourage you to make a plan of action. Find someone to keep you accountable in seeing your plan through. 

Dear God, thank you for the blessing of being able to come to You freely and without blame. Please help me to prioritize my relationship with You and to stop making excuses or filling my life with too many distractions. Lead me to think about eternal things and eternal goals. Remind me to always put You first in my life. Amen. 

“‘And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:27 (NIV)

About the Author

​Hi, I’m Anna Bearden! I’m married to my incredible husband, Jacob, and we have one beautiful daughter. I was born and raised in the Metro Atlanta area. I enjoy traveling, writing, and spending time with family and friends. Having my first child was a life changing experience and reading encouraging devotionals based on God’s word inspired me to want to do the same for other moms too.