January 22 | Stop Making Excuses

Today’s Bible in a Year reading from Exodus 4–6 and Matthew 14:22–36 centers on a steady but confronting truth: God doesn’t wait for perfect readiness, but calls His people to trust Him through obedience. Across both passages, we seethat fear, hesitation, and self-doubt aren’t barriers to God’s work, but places where faith is tested and formed as God continues moving His purposes forward.In Exodus 4–6, Moses stands before God fully aware of his limitations and overwhelmed by what lies ahead. He responds to God’s call by naming his weaknesses and questioning his ability to carry the assignment. Yet God doesn’t withdraw the call. Instead, He meets Moses in his hesitation, reminding him that the success of the mission doesn’t rest on Moses’ confidence, but on God’s presence and faithfulness, even as resistance and hardship increase.Matthew 14:22–36 echoes this same tension as the disciples find themselves caught in a storm, uncertain and afraid. When Jesus comes to them on the water, fear nearly keeps them from recognizing Him. Yet His presence brings clarity, stability, and peace, showing that trust is often formed not in calm conditions, but in moments when obedience feels risky, and assurance feels distant.Together, these passages invite us to reflect on how often hesitation disguises itself as wisdom. God’s work isn’t hindered by our awareness of our shortcomings, but it does call us to move beyond excuses and into trust. Today’s reading asks us to consider where God may be inviting us to stop explaining why we can’t, and instead trust Him enough to take the next faithful step forward.