Go ahead and Say No
I am just learning that it’s OK to say no. That is if that is what you are hearing from God. I’ve always thought, especially when someone needed help and especially when my church had a request that I had to say yes. But, I’m learning that it is not necessarily the right thing to do. Often No is the appropriate answer, even if it kills you to say it.
I mean if someone in your family always requests money and you have it to give to them – should you give it? Or should you help them by saying this time you need to take care of your issue and try and get a job?
Or if you don’t feel that you have time for something and you add it to your schedule anyway-should you?
Or in my case, I am on a quest to land a job and although I have more free time than usual, is it the best use of my time to volunteer as I see fit? That answer is No. I’m learning that if I don’t take care of my issues – then no one will. And they are my issues and I don’t want to make them anyone else’s.
I am trying to follow God’s path for me right now and obeying even if it means I do less at church which feels so foreign to me. But right now he wants me to train and learn – so that’s what I am doing. In doing so, I have to say “no” to many things and that’s new to me. I test everything in prayer and often I get a resounding feeling in my soul that it’s the right thing. When I don’t hear a definite no or yes from him, then I error on the side of “no” not yes. It seems to be working well.
So go ahead and say no and remember rejection isn’t anything more than direction. No has many positive consequences, especially when we say No to temptation. No has power to overcome hurtful behaviors. It really should be thought of as a positive word and action don’t you think?
Jesus said no many times. He said no to the devil three times when tempted. He said no one can come through the Father except through him. We must though never waiver in our decision for as Jesus said – it’s so on point….
Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matt 5:37
Would you have said yes or no to the apple?
