BUT (conjunction)

• Except for the fact
• THAT – used after a negative
• If not; unless
• On the contrary

If you’re like me, you often infuse your daily speak with that sneaky three-letter word.

“I’d love to read the Scriptures tonight, but I need to finish my mountain of laundry first.”

“I should probably give Sister So-and-So a call after her surgery, but she probably will get calls from others and mine won’t matter.”

“I’ll get anointed for the pain in my back, but I’m sure ibuprofen will do the trick just as well.”

I place limitations on myself, and worse, using “but” places limitations on God. He’s on the edge of His throne, ready to give me a blessing, and yet I pull out the “but” again and again.

So, how do I turn the negative connotation — the one that pushes the excuses aside — into a positive one?

Easy: Add “God said” after it.

When my fears kick into overdrive, “but God said He’d take care of me.”

When I’m not sure which way to go, “but God said He’d direct my path.”

When I get bogged down with the day-to-day of life, “but God said put Him first and everything else will work out.”

If I’m able to turn my “cant’s” into “cans,” why can’t I turn my “buts” around, too?

Challenge: Try to flip the word and remind yourself of “but God said…” when you feel the other version pop up this week. Share in your testimony on Sunday, and email us with your example!

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.