I try not to say “I don’t have time.”

Why? Because it’s not true. It’s just plain never true.

I have 24 hours a day. 168 hours a week. Same as you.

If you ask me to do something, “I don’t have time” is a lie. Always.

So I try to state the truth, “I can’t prioritize that right now.”

The truth is that I have time, there are just other things that are more important to me that I want to use that time for.

When Melissa and I were in our early 20s, we got this crazy idea. We bought a pink 1980 Dodge Falcon campervan. I quit my job as an assistant web editor at the NBC TV station in Columbus and Melissa quit her job as the general manager of the OSU hospital coffee shop.

We sold everything we owned and moved into the van, started to travel around the country. Two weeks in the van broke down, and we moved into a 2003 Chevy Cavalier instead. Tight quarters.

We went all around the country, and we’d usually stay somewhere for a week or two. We had vague ideas about doing ministry like Jesus did, but we weren’t that great at it.

We’d meet locals and one of the things that so many of them said was, “I wish I could do that.”

I wish I could do that.

Here’s the thing that made me laugh: of course they could do what we did.

We didn’t have to pass a test or complete feats of strength or anything before they let us quit our jobs and be homeless. We just did it. It takes the opposite of any kind of qualifications!

We quit really good jobs, gave up our security, and I’m sure looked foolish to a lot of people because we decided there was something we wanted more.

There was really no physical barrier that would prevent anyone else from doing what we did. Nothing was really stopping them except themselves.

People were saying “I can’t do that,” but really what they meant was “I’m unwilling to do that.”

That’s OK. But today I want to use this example to encourage us to be truthful in our communication, especially with ourselves. This has the power to change everything for us.

Our language is important. Jesus said “Let what you say simply be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Luke 5:37)

There might be something that God is putting on your heart right now, but you’ve said “I can’t do that.”

Well…that, my dear friend, is a lie.

When you start using honest language with yourself, then you can move forward with God.

“God, that seems too hard for me to bear,” and “God, I can’t do that” are very different places from which to interact with God. One begins a conversation, the other ends it.

Stop allowing your language to create imaginary barriers around you. Instead just be honest, “I’m unwilling to do what would be required.”

Where in your life are you saying “I can’t”?

If you take a step back from that situation, is there a real barrier (like you’re going to actually, literally die for some reason), or is it just a barrier you’re presently unwilling to overcome?

Today, I cannot deadlift 500 pounds. (At least I don’t think, I mean I haven’t actually tried.) I don’t lift weights, and that idea seems impossible to me. I can’t do it.

However, if I made it the most important thing in my life—if I arranged my whole life around that goal—I could do it. The way I eat, the way I sleep, the way I manage my time—if I put all of that towards the goal, I could do it.

I’m not going to. It’s not that I can’t though, it’s that I’m unwilling. There are tons of things that are way more important to me than that. I’m unwilling to sacrifice that time with my family, I’m unwilling to spend that much time at the gym.

But when I stop saying “I can’t” then I can give this thing a fair shake. Then I can have a conversation with God and assess what it will cost me, and how far I’m willing to go.

In context, Jesus is specifically talking about salvation in the verse I’m about to share, but nonetheless he says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28 NIV)

When we’re honest with our language (with ourselves), then we can count the cost. Then we can make a good decision.

As long as we allow ourselves the simple lies of “I can’t” and “I don’t have time,” we’ll continue to live inside of an imaginary cage designed by the enemy.

I encourage you today—be simple with your language. Be honest with yourself. That’s how you break down barriers, accomplish “impossible” things, and take a huge step toward having a real conversation with God.

-Brad Pauquette
Director, The Company

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