NO EXCUSES! by Nate Miller
“I don’t know how to swim!”
These words are some of the most common ones we hear at our In His Wakes’ “A Day to Remember” events. This statement of truth is often offered up as a “Please excuse me from the water activities today.” It’s used like a permission slip to stay on the shore and not participate in anything but lunch!
However, these participants quickly discover “staying on the dock” isn’t going to be as easy as they thought. They are up against some of the most persistent people they have ever met!
My first challenge upon a group’s arrival to the lake is to destroy any excuse for not getting out on the water and experiencing an incredible opportunity for victory. As the participants exit the vans, I gather them for a quick pep talk and briefing of the day’s events. This is my first point of contact and a strategic opportunity to start dealing with preconceived excuses. I quickly let them know that the mere fact they were able to get out of the vehicle under their own power qualifies them as an able candidate for skiing. I have heard all the excuses before and none of them are legitimate reasons for not participating.
Now you may ask yourself, as we did, if some are so afraid of the water why did they bother getting out of bed and coming to the lake in the first place? When we put this question to one of our fearful participants, the reality of the conditions many of these kids face on a daily basis came to light. He responded that things were so bad at home that he jumped at the opportunity to get away from it, even if it meant coming out to a lake that terrified him. Because he faced his fears, he found more than an escape, he discovered hope, purpose, and victory for the first time in his life.
Some of the excuses offered could actually appear to be viable reasons to stay out of the water. For example, one little girl’s mother had tried to drown her. Talk about a real reason to fear water! Another little boy had no fingers to wrap around the ski handle (his mother had chopped them off). Another man had no hands. Many of our participants live with mental deformities that could easily keep him on shore. One lady was 75 years old and was wearing a Sunday dress and bonnet!
Surprisingly, however, none of the above people allowed these incredibly real excuses to keep them from “getting off the dock!” They bravely faced their fears and physical conditions head-on. As a result, they experienced something amazing … victory! They experienced being an overcomer, rather than a victim.
On the other hand, some of our participants choose to hold onto their excuses, too afraid to step out of the boat. It is so sad to watch them drive away from our event untouched by the day’s activities, hospitality, and message. The truth is fear and insecurities robbed them of the joy and freedom they could have experienced.
When we are called to step out on the water with God, I can’t help but wonder if we don’t have a few excuses of our own tucked away for staying on the shoreline. I know I have. Think about your life right now. What excuses do you have as to why you’re not the right person for the job? Too old or too young? Too busy? Too poor? Not enough education, abilities, resources, or talents? Too crazy of a past?
When it comes right down to it, isn’t the real reason we give these excuses because we want to stay on the shore where it’s safe? Stepping out would require us to relinquish control and exercise a great deal of faith. It would require us to do something outside our comfort zone.
I’ll admit, it is often difficult to trust the Lord’s ability to handle challenges that seem impossible. It’s often hard to get over the “I can’t” mentality. The truth is we can’t do it in our own strength. We truly don’t have all the skill and resources. But guess what, God does. And with Him, all things are possible!
By trusting God as our Power Source and stepping out in faith, we will experience victory; incredible victory that no one, not even us, could have thought possible! That’s the beauty of it.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER…” He has already given us access to His power to overcome every fear and every excuse we may have. All we have to do is hook up to Him through our faith and “get out off the dock”!
One of my favorite parts of our events is when our participants stand up before their peers and share how they “got off the dock and had victory.” The following is a list of what some overcame during the day:
- Fear of deep water
- Fear of what’s in the water
- Inability to swim
- Fear of failure
- Fear of being made fun of
- Fear of how they looked in a bathing suit
- Fear and distrust of men
- Fear of being too heavy to ski
- Felt they didn’t deserve to have a fun day
- Fear of being in a boat after nearly drowning in an accident
- Fear their cancer had made their bones too weak
And the list goes on……….
So, what’s your excuse? What’s keeping you chained to life’s dock and preventing you from experiencing victory? One thing’s for sure. When we move forward in faith and obedience, God’s grace and blessings will be pour out on us in abundance! Allow Him to replace that spirit of fear with one of POWER! Allow Him to exchange your fears for faith and experience joy and peace like never before.