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Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Throughout the Bible, two themes emerge. One theme highlights how God may require us to activate our faith and fight for our healing and deliverance. Examples of this can be found in stories like that of the woman with the issue of blood, Hannah, Elisha, and the gentile woman. The other theme portrays how God extends grace and deliverance to individuals who may have given up on expecting it or those who were not aware they needed it. Examples of this include Abraham, Moses, the Samaritan woman at the well, and the lame man at the pool of Bethesda.

The eye-opening message delivered by Pastor Robert Madu at Elevation Church, titled “Lame Excuses,” has left a profound impact on me. It revealed to me that, like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, there are areas in my life where I have given up or settled for mediocrity without even realizing it.

Although I consider myself ambitious and driven, I now realize that everyone has their struggles that hinder them from reaching their full potential. Instead of judging or condemning those who appear to lack drive, we should extend grace and compassion as Jesus did during his time on earth.

We should also be mindful that there are underlying factors that contribute to someone’s complacency or lack of motivation. By doing so, we can encourage and inspire others to push past their limitations and achieve their goals. Ultimately, only God knows the whole story, and we should approach each situation with empathy and understanding.

For those unfamiliar with the story, the bible refers to a man who had been ill for 38 years. He, along with others who were struggling, lay near a pool believed to have healing powers. When Jesus arrived, the man had grown resigned to his situation and believed that reaching the pool was his only hope for healing, but he had no one to assist him.

Here is a scene from the Chosen series that best illustrates the story of the lame man at the pool of Besthesda.

Jesus Heals At The Pool (The Chosen Scene) – YouTube

There are other figures in the bible who offered what Pastor Madu calls “lame excuses” to God.

• Moses – Exodus 4: 10: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
• Gideon – Judges 6: 15: “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
• Mary – Luke 1: 34: “Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am still a virgin.”
• Jeremiah 1: 6: “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
• Ananias – Acts 9: 13-14: “Ananias replied, “Lord, I’ve heard a lot of people tell about the many evil things this man has done to your people in Jerusalem. Saul has come here to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to put anyone who calls on your name in prison.”
• Then there is you. Pastor Madu asked us to reflect on this question, what lame excuse are you giving God right now for not moving into your purpose?

Here are three key points mentioned by pastor Madu about this:

• Lame excuses exonerate us from our responsibilities.
• Lame excuses are birthed from a lame environment (are the people in your life impacting how you see God?)
• Stop focusing on the things that can’t help you when Jesus is in front of you. As long as Jesus is in front of you, you’ve got all you need.

Jesus boldly asked a lame man of 38 years if he wanted to get well, despite how insensitive it may seem. As the Son of God, Jesus had the power to end the man’s pain in an instant but first, it was important for him to ask the man “do you want to be made well?” I guess this show us that we need to want the miracle.

It is important to notice that Jesus came to a porch full of all sorts of broken people but he bypassed all of them to get to one man. I have analyzed this miracle in two way. Jesus chose to heal him to;

• Inspire: Did Jesus do this because the healing of this one man who may have suffered the longest could inspire faith in others? I believe he would then come back to help his friends.
• Spread his gospel: Is it possible that by healing this one man the rest of the sick and broken people would have someone to show them or tell them of another source of healing apart from the pool that limited their deliverance? I can imagine that this porch was his home, all he knew about life (his friends) was there. Also, Jesus told him to carry his mat, this would become his testimony.

What do you do after Jesus gets you up from defeat? Asked pastor Madu.

After receiving healing, it’s important to find a community that will celebrate your miracle. Otherwise, jealousy and resentment from those who remain in their brokenness can be detrimental to your progress.

I can definitely relate to our friend here, as I, too, have made excuses for my behavior and limitations for a long time. I often used my past experiences, such as my upbringing and traumatic events, as justification for my shortcomings. While these reasons are valid, I have come to realize that Christ called me despite all of this, and he wants me to strive for my highest potential. Rather than allowing my fear, doubt, and insecurities to hold me back, I must push past them and pursue my purpose. Christ wants the best for me, and it’s up to me to trust in him and work towards achieving my goals.

It’s crucial to stop making excuses and limiting God’s purpose for your life. Many are stuck because they simply lack (God’s) perspective. We give up hope when things do not go our way. This leaves us at the porch where we create a space with others like us to complain, worry and blame the world and God for our problems.

And yet, the world is full of people who have broken generational curses, disabled people who are doing wonders and inspiring people who are physically well, rape victims changing political systems and speaking out to fight for other victims. We have people who were once murders or thieves and all sorts of sinners preaching the gospel and telling their testimonies of how God changed them and gave them a new life.

His grace is sufficient

There’s no sin too great, pain too deep, or trauma too big that Jesus cannot heal and transform. We need to make a decision to stop limiting God and the purpose he created us for. The Bible is full of all sorts of examples which God uses to illustrate his grace. What is your excuse? Why are you stuck in a bad cycle of lame excuses?

Trust God

You are not too young, too old, too uneducated, too educated, too weak, too insignificant, too proud, too insecure, too aggressive, too broken, etc. God has a track record of using all sorts of people. It is never too late for you to give all this insufficiency or brockeness to him to fix. Sometimes, he wont take it all away at once, but he has his reasons. The bible teaches us that God’s ways are not our ways. Gradually, he will show you a new life that he planned for you to live.

He knows all you have been through and he plans to heal you and gain glory through your testimony. If you need help, seek it (counseling, technical help, physical help). Do everything you need to get better. Remember, you were created for a purpose, find it!

I hope this inspires you and I pray that God may give you perspective to see that he is working in your life. Amen

With love and prayers,

Resty Kansiime