Reasons People Make Excuses

Excuses are more than just a way to sidestep a problem—they reveal our underlying attitudes and priorities. In Part 1, we explored how people make excuses to get out of trouble or deny a personal problem.

In this continuation, we look into two more reasons why we make excuses:

1.To avoid responsibility and

2.To keep from doing what we don’t want to do.

These tendencies are deeply ingrained in human nature, but the Bible offers powerful lessons on overcoming them.

C. To Get Out of Responsibility (Avoidance)

One of the most common reasons people make excuses is to avoid responsibility. We all know the feeling—responsibility can be daunting, and the fear of failure or inadequacy often leads us to avoid it altogether. The life of Moses provides a compelling example of this kind of avoidance.

Moses: The Reluctant Leader

Moses had a remarkable upbringing. He was spared from death as a baby, raised in the palace of Pharaoh, and blessed with the finest education and resources Egypt had to offer. Yet, when God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he was quick to make excuses.

In Exodus 3:10, God said to Moses, “Come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” This was Moses’ moment of destiny, a time to fulfill the purpose for which God had prepared him. But instead of stepping up, Moses tried to avoid the responsibility with a series of excuses:

“I’m not able, don’t have the talent” – “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).
“They won’t believe me” – “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” (Exodus 4:1).
“I’m not a good speaker” – “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10).
“Someone else can do it” – “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” (Exodus 4:13).

Moses was overwhelmed by the enormity of the task before him. His excuses were rooted in self-doubt and fear of failure. However, these excuses did not go well with God. In Exodus 4:14, we read, “Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses….” God had equipped Moses with everything he needed, but Moses’ reluctance to accept responsibility angered God.

Had Moses continued to make excuses, he would have missed out on his destiny. Instead, he eventually embraced his responsibility, leading the Israelites out of Egypt and into freedom.

D. To Keep from Doing What We Don’t Want to Do

Another reason people make excuses is simply to avoid doing something they don’t want to do. This avoidance is often a sign of misplaced priorities or a lack of commitment. Lord Jesus addressed this issue in a powerful parable about excuses.

The Parable of the Great Feast

In Luke 14:16-20, Jesus tells the story of a man who prepared a great feast and invited many guests. However, when the time came for the feast, the invited guests began to make excuses:

“I have bought a piece of land and need to go see it” – “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’” (Luke 14:18).
“I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out” – “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’” (Luke 14:19).
“I have married a wife, so I can’t come” – “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’” (Luke 14:20).

These individuals had received a personal invitation to a great feast, yet they chose to prioritise their own interests over the invitation. Their excuses revealed that, deep down, they simply didn’t want to participate. The land, the oxen, and even the new marriage were just convenient reasons to avoid the responsibility of accepting the invitation.

This parable illustrates a powerful truth: when we make excuses to avoid doing something, it often reflects a deeper reluctance to align our will with God’s will. The invited guests had every opportunity to attend the feast, but they chose not to, exposing their lack of commitment and desire.

So, what’s the solution? It begins with self-reflection. Are we making excuses to avoid responsibility or to dodge something we don’t want to do? If so, it’s time to stop and reconsider our actions. Instead of making excuses, we should embrace our responsibilities and align our desires with God’s will.

Reasons People Make Excuses – Part 2

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