Stop “kicking the can down the road” and face your problems with courage and conviction …
It’s a familiar scenario: you see the problem, feel its weight, and know it won’t fix itself. Yet, instead of addressing it, you push it aside for another day — a day that rarely comes. This habit, often described as “kicking the can down the road,” is not just an individual failing. It’s a pattern found in relationships, workplaces, and sadly, even churches.
The trouble with “kicking the can down the road” is that it never solves the problem. Instead, it allows issues to grow, relationships to fray, and wounds to deepen. Whether it’s a personal sin, a harmful habit, a leadership weakness, or a church-wide dysfunction, ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away. It makes them worse.
Take, for example, a church struggling with gossip among its members. Everyone knows it’s happening, but no one wants to address it because it might ruffle feathers. The result? A culture of distrust spreads, undermining relationships and spiritual growth. Or consider an individual wrestling with a recurring sin, like anger. Instead of seeking help, they justify their behavior or promise themselves they’ll deal with it “someday.”
The longer we avoid dealing with these issues, the harder they become to confront. What starts as a small habit or grievance snowballs into something that feels insurmountable.
WHY DO WE KICK THE CAN?
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- Fear of conflict: Addressing problems often means confronting uncomfortable truths, whether in ourselves or others. Many would rather avoid conflict than face it head-on.
- Busyness: Both individuals and churches are often so consumed by daily responsibilities that addressing deeper issues feels like a luxury they can’t afford.
- Irrationally hope it will disappear: Sometimes we convince ourselves that if we ignore a problem, it will resolve itself. This rarely happens.
- Pride: Admitting a problem — especially for leaders — can feel like admitting failure.
- Lack of faith: Ultimately, “kicking the can down the road” reflects a lack of trust in God’s ability to work through difficult situations for His glory and our good.
THE HIGH COST OF AVOIDANCE
Prolonged avoidance can have devastating consequences:
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- For individuals: Ignored sin or dysfunction can lead to broken relationships, spiritual stagnation, or even a hardened heart. Hebrews 3:13 warns us not to let sin “deceive and harden” us.
- For churches: Problems like unresolved conflict, moral failings, or leadership weaknesses can undermine a church’s witness, hinder its mission, and hurt its members.
The Apostle Paul warned against this in 1 Corinthians 5, where he rebuked the church for tolerating sin instead of addressing it. His message was clear: deal with sin and dysfunction decisively, or it will corrupt the entire body.
HOW TO STOP KICKING THE CAN FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD
1. Acknowledge the problem. The first step to resolution is recognizing and admitting there’s an issue. As individuals, this means praying Psalm 139:23-24, asking God to search our hearts and reveal any offensive ways in us. For churches, it means fostering a culture of humility and openness where concerns can be raised without fear and with full truthfulness.
2. Seek wisdom and courage. James 1:5 promises that God will generously give wisdom to those who ask. Facing problems requires both wisdom to know the right course and courage to follow through.
3. Act decisively. Once the issue is clear, take action. This might mean confessing a sin, seeking counseling, or having hard conversations. In churches, it may require restructuring, confronting unhealthy leadership, or addressing sin in the congregation. Churches might also need to seek help, much like individuals seeking counseling, by reaching out to a church consultant with ministry experience and expertise. These consultants can help identify root causes, mediate conflicts, and develop a practical way forward.
4. Trust God with the outcome. Fear often paralyzes us, but as 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Trust that God will honor your obedience and bring healing and restoration.
As the writer of Hebrews exhorts, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
Stop kicking the can. Face the issues. And trust God to guide you into a future of greater health, holiness, and hope.
Scotty
August 5, 2026 at 4:59 pm
I found this post by searching on internet explorer, “i keep kicking the can farther down the road because i dont want to deal eith the upsetting feelings in my head.” I will start by saying I am not a religious person by any means. I went to a church school when I was 5, other than that, I have never been to church in my life. I was raised from a young age to have faith in God. I have lacked faith in my life for many years now. I have even considered myself atheist before. That being said, I would love to go to church.
Like anyone else, I have my own set of issues. It is difficult to pronounce exactly what I’m dealing with, but some things are clear. I have a strong addiction to pornography. I have watched porn for about 14 years now. I’ve known porn to be an issue for the last 5-6 years. I have tried countless times to overcome my sin on my own, of which I failed every single time. I have other things plaguing my mind aside from pornography. I have a crippling sense of perfectionism. I desperately want things to be so perfect to the point I often am unable to try. For example, I want to budget my money properly. I can’t find the most efficient way to budget money that saves the most time and effort, therefore, I have yet to begin. Another example, I often spend too much time perfecting simple tasks at work. I get so focused on one thing that I forget the bigger picture and spend way more time than allotted on a job. This issue of mine leaves me feeling slow and worthless to the company. Lastly, which isn’t truly last as I am sure I have more issues is: A lack of confidence/ self-image problems. I view myself as being autistic, simply put. I have never been diagnosed for mental health issues, and I am a somewhat functioning member of society. Yet, I can’t help but see my problems and nothing else. I am so focused on achievement and ambition but lack the facilities to get where I want to be in life. One thing I know for certain is that all of my issues are within myself.
At the time of writing this, 7:37PM on August 5th, 2026, I am drunk. I drank half a cup of tequila in order to kick my can farther down the road. I do not struggle with alcohol. I struggle with bad feelings inside of my head. I seriously do not want to relapse or pick up a new bad habit to deal with an old one. I know I need help. I need someone to talk to. I want to feel connection with others. I want to feel normal. I have recently reached out to a therapist for a remedy. I wasn’t able to make it past the therapist’s paperwork and to a first meeting. I tried to schedule a second meeting with my therapist but was charged $200 for a last cancellation on the previous meeting. Needless to say, I did not give my card information out.
I have wondered many times if God would even accept someone like me; i am someone who has rejected God’s help all these years. I want to try going to church but am scared. I feel as though I won’t fit into church. I am uncertain about many things in life. I did enjoy reading this post, however.
August 6, 2026 at 10:52 am
Bren, thanks for sharing. I guarantee you that you’re important to God, and through Christ there is a way you can know Him and have a vibrant relationship with Him. I want to encourage you to restart your effort to step into counseling – I believe a competent, skilled Christian counselor could help you change your life; and I encourage you to connect with a pastor of a local church in your area to specifically explore the Good News of Jesus Christ – I have zero doubt that by entering a covenant relationship with Him, He can transform your life. It’s time to stop kicking the can down the road and really begin the work for healing and wholeness. You will not regret the fruit of such sincere efforts.