“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!’” 

Proverbs 22:13

What kills our courage? What prevents us from taking more responsible and courageous action in our lives? What holds us back from stepping out in faith and taking more risks? How can we overcome hesitation and finally go all-in?

Excuses. The excuses we make have a profound impact on the decisions we make. This proverb reminds us, that without even realizing it, we can be so busy conjuring up wild scenarios, like a lion lurking outside, just to avoid doing what we know we should do. It’s the “monster in the closet” mentality that can follow us into adulthood.

This proverb is a clear reminder of the incredible power of our minds. When we start envisioning worst-case scenarios, or over-exaggerate the difficulties the right decision may bring, it can turn us into top-notch procrastinators and ineffective leaders.

Remember Moses? He once claimed that he couldn’t heed God’s call because he wasn’t the smoothest talker. Or what about Gideon? He made his lack of strength the excuse for why he wasn’t cut out for leadership. We all have a tendency to unleash a wave of excuses when we’re called to make a difficult decision or to take decisive action.

This got me wondering—what’s my personal “lion”? What wildly irrational excuse might I be brewing up to avoid something I really need to tackle today? What’s the lion that needs to be silenced?

Oftentimes, the remedy for our irrational fears and lazy tendencies is simply stepping outside and realizing there are no lions on the loose. It’s like flicking on the light switch, flinging open the closet door, and realizing the monsters were all in our minds.

Lord, help me to silence the ‘lions’ today. Renew my mind and enable me to envision the best rather than the worst. May your promises drown out all my excuses. Keep me from any self-deception that may hinder me from following your leading today. Amen.