CAN’T SAY NO? ASK YOURSELF “WHY?”
Have you ever found yourself staring at an email invitation and wondering how to respond? I have.Two came recently.Being your average friendly and helpful woman (aren’t we all?), I went through the usual questions:
Should I say YES, or should I say NO? Why one, and not the other?
Am I being selfish, uncaring, and indifferent to the need? OR
Am I being wise about how much time it will take, realizing that saying YES means saying NO to something else?
You might be asking, “Did Jesus ever say NO to people’s requests?” YES, He did! Being human, He needed sleep, rest, quiet, space to nurture His disciples, to pray and to seek the Father’s will. He couldn’t possibly meet everyone’s needs. Nor was He called to. (John 4:34)[Tweet "“Did Jesus ever say NO to people’s requests?”"]
Feeling guilty about saying NO
to a request, whether it comes via email, phone, or in person, happens to all of us. Perhaps you’ve even said YES sometimes simply to avoid those guilty or uncomfortable feelings. I’ll admit that I have
.
But let’s be brave the next time we struggle with what to do by asking some clarifying questions. Here are a few to begin with:What’s prompting me to say YES or NO?What are the costs in time, energy and other areas? Will it mean neglecting a current commitment or responsibility?What are God’s priorities for me at this time?[Tweet "What are God’s priorities for me at this time?"]Here are other insights to consider:
God hasn’t called you to personally meet every need. If you already have a full plate, trust Him to meet that need in another way. The responsibility is His, not yours.
If you tend towards perfectionism, be realistic about the time you need to prepare. Consider all the factors involved. Will this be a good choice for you and your family?
Christians are called to care for and serve others, as Jesus did. However, not every tug to help is from the Holy Spirit. Before responding, pray and seek God’s perspective.
One of my favorite authors, J. Oswald Sanders writes:“We all have the same amount of time—and we exchange it for certain activities. We have time to do the whole will of God for our lives. If we don’t have sufficient time to carry out our responsibilities, either we have taken on tasks not laid on us by the Lord, or we are not making wise use of the time He has given us.”Be blessed—and may your daily choices, planned and unexpected, bring God glory!Qu. What struggles do you have in making decisions? How DO you decide?PoppyPhoto credit: GraphicStock