“But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11
Even the strongest followers of Christ suffered from self-doubt. Throughout the book of Exodus, you’ll see that Moses was commanded by God to approach Pharaoh, the hard-hearted King of Egypt, to let the sons of Israel go.
When Moses was first approached by God, his response was like many would respond today, “Why me?” Below are some of the responses Moses gave to God. Sound familiar?
Excuse #1: “Why me God?”
Pharaoh’s reign of leadership had turned to torment and slavery for the people of Egypt. Day in and day out Pharaoh ordered the people to work long back breaking hours to build up his kingdom. The torture that he was putting on the people was unbearable and something that modern-day believers cannot even imagine.
God had seen enough of this torture and he heard the cries of the people and sent Moses to lead them out of captivity. Moses was a no longer a tiny baby in a basket being sent down the river; Moses was a grown man. He was in his 80s when God called out to him and commanded him to go to Pharaoh.
You can read in Exodus 3 and see how God spoke to Moses through a burning bush. Moses’ response to God was like how most people respond today.
It is unfortunate that so many people think they are “not good enough” or “not ready” to follow God when He calls on them. Most everyone suffers from doubt, fears of rejection, and nerves, but don’t let these things get in your way of serving God.
Can you imagine what this world would be like if everyone that heard God’s call stepped up and followed Him instead of making excuses?
Excuse #2: What if they won’t listen?
“Then Moses said, what if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, The Lord has not appeared to you.” Exodus 4:1
We are all born with the fear of rejection embedded into our minds. For some of us, overcoming this fear is not an issue. However, most women struggle with “what if” syndrome. To this day, women around the world worry about the ‘what if’ scenarios that may or may not ever occur. We are constantly on guard fearing the unknown.
Moses had the same fears. When God commanded him to go to Pharaoh he wondered “what if they don’t believe me?”
Don’t let the fear of rejection stop you from serving the Lord. When Moses’ concern was voiced to God, he assured him that he was not alone. When God directs you in life, I promise you He will make a way for you to overcome all fears.
Excuse #3: “I’m not a good speaker and I have no idea what to say!”
“Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Exodus 4:10
Believe it or not, I was extremely shy as young child. I hid behind my mom everywhere we went and quite frankly I enjoyed being by myself instead of around other people. As I grew older, I had a close group of friends that I had known most of my life, but I had issues trying to make new friends or “strike up” conversations. It wasn’t until I started working as a server in a restaurant that I truly learned how to make small talk. From then on, I could talk to anyone. I promise you if you can learn to overcome your public speaking fear now, it’ll make your future a lot easier when it comes to college and careers.
In an anti-social world where everyone prefers text over talk and social media over real conversations, it’s no wonder people hate public speaking. My advice to you is to challenge yourself to speak in front of others, step out of your comfort zone and take up any chance you get to speak in front of others. Pray out loud in Sunday school, volunteer to speak at events or teach a children’s church class, use the voice that God gave you to share His Word any chance you get. I promise you, it does get easier every time.
It’s been said before, “you can’t save a drowning person by standing on the bank showing them how to swim.” Living a life for Christ is a must, but sometimes you must take action, get your feet wet, and get out of your comfort zone to share Christ and save a life.
Moses’ excuse was that he wasn’t a good speaker, but God replied and told him that He would give him the words to speak and to make things even easier, he gave him Aaron to help him.
When God gives you a task to complete, a ministry or a mission in life, I promise you He will equip you with everything you need, just trust in Him.
This week, challenge yourself to say YES to God and NO to excuses.
What is God calling you to do?
If you are unsure, spend time in prayer this week asking God to reveal His purpose for your life. Then, spend time in His Word. I told my youth Sunday, “You can’t find your way without reading the map first. Open God’s Word and find your Way.”
May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!