God is the Authority. God’s word is intended to be taken seriously and acted on in our lives. We need to be intentional as we learn and live scripture.
When we make exceptions for our inattention to scripture, we need to return to seek and acknowledge God. If we make excuses for our actions, we need to repent and ask God to cause us to believe the truth in His word. We should interrupt our own excuses to ask,“What About God? (WAG?)” in this circumstance.
When we make excuses to God, we are standing at the door of temptation. Whenever we catch our thoughts saying, “But, but, but…what about…”, we are on the edge of making an excuse. This is the time when we need to consider where we stopped believing God’s character. If we are making excuses, we are not believing the truth of God’s word. When we agree with God’s word, we are not making excuses.
When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we delight in His character. We are elated by His power and glory.
1 Peter 5:5-7 (CSB)
In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, 7casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
He loves, honors and cares for us. This is the place of satisfaction in Christ.
Our lives are not based on the actions or approval of others, but on our response to God.
Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
As we set our mind on things above (Col 3:2), we intentionally seek things that please God. We may not win approval from man, but as we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, we please Him (Col. 1:10). Our experience shows, what pleases God is usually upside-down from what pleases man.
Our priority and significance are found in Jesus Christ. As we walk the path of surrender, God’s word continually renews.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Jesus is our ultimate example of surrender. When we fix our eyes on Him, the author and perfecter of faith, we move in His direction. As we consider Jesus, we are strengthened and renewed to His hope, joy, peace and purpose, and we persevere in the race set before us.