How's That Working Out for You?

Sometimes I give myself an out when it comes to doing the hard things. Or just things I don't like to do such as getting up earlier.

I say, "That's the way I've always been." 

I say it like it's a reason. A hard-core, this-cannot-be-changed, set-in-stone-for-the-rest-of-my-life absolute fact. But it's just an excuse. 

Here's my new response to myself: "How's that working out for you?" 

Why make that excuse as if I can't change? Like I can't learn new habits. Like God hasn't been transforming me for years. Like that isn't His plan until he takes me home. 

Why not change what I'm doing if something else is better? 

It might be hard. It might be uncomfortable. Other people might think I'm weird. But why should that stop me? 

It shouldn't, of course.  

We do this in all types of situations. We do this at church when the preacher preaches. We do this when we read a book and insist that technique is impossible for us. We do this when a friend challenges our thinking on a subject. 

We don't see that we can change.  Matter of fact, we insist that we can't and we try explain why.

My pastor says that excuses are like feet: everybody has them and they all stink. Excuses don't help you. You should stop with your excuses and ask, "How's that working out for me?" 

Is it working for you? 

-Would another method or a different way work out better for your or your family? 

-Would you benefit from changing? Changing how you talked to your kids? Changing how you planned your menus? Changing how you schedule your day? 

-Would you learn more from reading your Bible or browsing Facebook? 

-Would you be more spiritually inclined if you got rid of some worldly input? 

-Would you be less discouraged if you had that challenging talk with a friend? 

-Would you serve your family better if you got up earlier in the morning? Or didn't waste your whole afternoon? 

-Would you be better off if you started exercising a little four or five days a week? 

How are those excuses working out for you? Do they help your family? Will they help you become the person you want to be at the end of your life? 

Think about where you want to be- who you want to be- on your 80th birthday. Are you becoming that person today? That's how it works you know. Who you are today changes who you are tomorrow which impacts who you are on your 80th birthday. Today is not irrelevant and your excuses do matter. 

Make changes one at a time. Pick something, preferably something small, and change it. Know why you need to do it and then do it. Make the change a habit. Then start on a new one. Don't decide you are too old, too busy, or too static to change. You're not. Face that excuse. Ask  yourself, 

How's that working out for me?