Are there ever any legitimate excuses? Do you find yourself constantly explaining away the reasons why you are unsuccessful or why your life is in disarray or the reasons why you are unhappy? It is a sure bet that your reasoning is actually a series of lies that you tell yourself to avoid facing painful truths.
The path of least resistance is to make an excuse and tolerate our situation rather than to face our fear of an unpleasant truth. Fear of punishment or the consequences of our actions also plays a part when we chose to avoid our own accountability. We are forever doomed as victims of circumstance until we make a conscious decision to deliberately create a new circumstance free of excuses and blame.
Honest self-examination is the most difficult and painful step in breaking down the barriers that confine us to a life of mediocrity or worse. Recognize your shortcomings and failures from the past and forgive yourself. Stop being a felon and turn yourself in. The system that you have chosen to live your life by is self-incriminating.
Excuses work like a pacifier. A pacifier does not confront the true problem; it simply addresses the issue of the crying. Stop the blame game, because to blame is lame. Be accountable and forthright in your actions.
Success cannot be realized as a result of the failure of others, so stop blaming them. I hope that I have helped you to identify and eliminate your top three excuses. You can now consider yourself on the road to recovery. If you do not like your circumstance, only you can chose to create a new one. Success is in YOUR Hands!
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback" Success: Is It Your Choice? "
This relates to me more than I can even imagine. I knew that God has forgiven me but yet I have failed to forgive myself in so many areas and circumstances from my past. It really is by the grace and mercy of God that I am still here. I have discovered the freedom of what it means to be free and learn to forgive yourself in order to move forward. Also moving past my fears, leaving those behind, and looking forward to what lies ahead when I release them. Thank you Dr. Brown for your obedience to what God has called you to do for His Glory. Because of God placing you in my life I am grateful and know that I will never be the same person who I used to be, by the grace of God!
Yes I believe success is my choice. To be or not to be that is really the question.
When I retired from K-Mart in 1996 my roll-over was 42,000. It was growing but some months were not as good as others were. My husband was on me every month about what if we lose it. Than came Y2K, he said take it out. We did withdraw $35,000. Y2K nothing happen but we kept the money. You guessed it. It’s gone. Had we been attending Dream Makers 99 we could have started a business, of turning homes because my husband was a great builder and very good at remodeling. Success is our choice.
Am I a felon running from my own failures? This question gives me pause because it forces me to examine my motives and my choices. Success is my choice and fear is not an option. I will no longer placate my fears rather I will face them with a free heart because I have forgiven myself. Dr. Brown I appreciate this blog because it is informative, encouraging, and thought-provoking. Reading this blog is like taking vitamins for my soul. Thank you sir, with all my heart.
I think there are excuses. There are more than 1 billion people around the world who live on less than $1 a day. So how is success there choice? I know we live in America and things are good but how do we minister this message of success to people living in extreme poverty? Does the message transcend? Does God not offer them health and wealth?
Thanks:)
@Sherry
I had a conversation with someone just yesterday about this. I remember a Pastor in Africa who was not wealthy and he heard a similar message from Dr. Brown. He applied for a government issued home and the favor of God caused him to be awarded the home! Success maybe measured in cattle instead of dollars in other countries but the promise of God’s word is applicable everywhere.
In any counrty there are those who have wealth and those who don’t. There are many ways and examples of people following their dreams to success. That suggests that success is available to everyone.
Many professional athletes come from 3rd world countries and impoverished families. Many artists and poets come from poor backgrounds and attain success.
Thanks for responding Roy!
Can I get the pastor’s name (the one in Africa)? Also, Why is success measured in cattle? Isn’t money universal?
Last,Why does the bible say the desire to be rich results in temptations, snares, senseless and hurtful desires, ruin and destruction, evils of every sort, a wondering from the faith, hearts pierced with many pangs? I’m having a hard time explaining this to a friend who says I am wrong as a Christian for wanting to be wealthy or rich. I know these are a lot of questions but I really appreciate your insight.
Thanks:)
@ Sherry
The questions that you have posted here are more common then you may think. In actually you must always consider this question when you are talking about success, “what is success?”
You see not everyone considers success as the same thing. Some “feel” successful if they can provide for their family. For others it is owning a business. Yet for some it may be just owning a home, a car, goat, horse, cow, etc. Of course, the idea of having a lot of money is considered success for many. Here in lays the answer to your question.
We do determine our success by our very definition of success. Of course, the key to that is then doing what it takes to achieve our version of success.
With that said I must also say this, no matter what our version of success may be God always has His own idea of success too. His version is always better than ours.
In closing, I must conclude that the message of success, healthy, and wealth are a universal teaching for the body of Christ no matter the conditions that they find themselves. As Roy said above, every country has wealth (some more than others do) it is a matter of what you are willing to do to get your part to of it to live your success story.
Scott I agree. Wealth has been redefined in every society. In the US we look at money. As a believer we must define success according to God’s standard and His promises. If we enjoy the promises of God in our life then we are successful.
God promised to meet my needs according to His abundance. Jesus was beaten for our healing. If we believe in Jesus as our Lord and savior we are saved and through consistent study of the word of God our minds are renewed.
These are some of the promises of God and thus define success for a Christian. Am I wrong for wanting what God says I can have? I think not, in fact I think as I posses what God promised I bring Him glory.
Hi Scott and Roy,
Thanks for responding:) Could someone answer the last part of the question for me? I am really having a hard time explaining that to a close friend of mine.
God Bless!
@ Sherry
Before I answer your questions first let you ask you a few questions. Your friend that tells you that Christians should not desire to be wealthy, what is his/her financial condition? Are they struggling to pay their bills, put gas in their car, or met the needs of their family? Also does that person have a job? If so then why have a job if you don’t believe that God wants you to have money? Is money evil?
I want to quote Dr. Brown’s book “God Wants You Healthy, Wealthy, and Full of Life.”
“One of the most dangerous and damaging lies ever told to mankind is that God, who created mankind, heaven and earth, does not want His creation enjoying the wealth of plant earth. It is very difficult to comprehend just how damaging this lie has been. Millions of people are convinced of this lie without evidence to support their belief. There is no biblical basis to support their notions, only opinions rooted in personal lack and insufficiency.”
There are too many scriptures to provide in a short blog post that God wants his people to be healthy, wealthy, and full of life. The thing that God does not want is money controlling you.
Sherry, The scriptures does teach us that the man who seeks wealth is unwise and will be pierced through with many sorrows. Christians are supposed to be seekers of God and His kingdom not wealth. Wealth is just a promise to those that would seek Him first.
Dr. Brown’s books have been invaluable to my family and I. The above-mentioned book is one that I revisit frequently to help me keep proper perspective.
I highly recommend the aforementioned book. On Dr. Brown’s website you can read more excerpts from the book, see the table of contents and even order it. If you would like to see more about it below is a link for you.
http://www.joycenter.org/products/healthy_wealthy.html
Scott,
No my friend is quite stable financially but she thinks that Christians who want to be rich come to God for that reason or telling people that makes them come to see what they can get from Him. She says that there are people who have wealth who don’t even seek God first and that Jesus didn’t speak about being rich whenever he proclaimed the gospel. She said this after I explained to her what you and Roy said to me. N/E way thanks for the advice and the book link:)
@ Sherry
Pls understand what I am about to say. Your friend’s opinion does not line up with the scriptures. Her concern is that people who want to be rich is trying to get something from God. Both God and humanity have motives.
Do not the scriptures teach us to come to God as we are? The gospel is a whosoever will thing. Why does anyone accept Jesus - drug addicts, people who have lost loved ones, those without peace, and those that are having problems in their marriage, etc.?
The simple answer is because they all want something different from what they are currently experiencing. So what is the difference? Let God deal with people and their personal motives.
Your friend is correct because many people are wealthy without seeking God. This is very true. This is because they work the principles of increase that God has placed in the earth. As Dr. Brown always says, “The world wants God’s principles without Jesus, whereas the church seems to want Jesus without His principles.” Why can’t we have both Jesus and His principles of financial increase?
In secret the unsaved wealthy are not enjoying themselves fully, perhaps for a season but not for long.
As for Jesus speaking about wealth — sure he did, many of his parables where about money and stewardship. Study the scriptures for yourself and you will see it.
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