Excuses, Excuses

I remember when I was a kid on a gymnastics team, my coach would always get on our case about "making excuses." I swore they were reasons, not excuses. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. I can't remember.

Something I continually challenge myself to do is not make up excuses.

If you know me at all, you probably know I have a tendency to be late. My temptation every time is to stretch the truth. Got stuck in traffic? A perfect excuse! Yet really, I was already running late before I hit traffic. But, shh, they don't know that!

The truth is, though, that while excuses calm my conscience, they trick myself into believing I wasn't at fault. And I never change. The truth is all covered-up, I still look decent, and I'm good to go. I can forget this mistake.

Now, I try to resist the temptation, and apologize for my tardiness and leave it at that. When I stop making excuses I realize that if I was really responsible, I would actually try to come early just in case anything DOES come up. When I stop making excuses, the weight of it actually sinks in. I start to add up the number of times I've done this, and realize it's a problem. Then I can actually change.

Life is better on the other side of sin. We've got to be honest with ourselves.

You may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9