At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen. Isaiah 60:22 NLT
How do you like being told no?
If you’re like me, you enjoy it. Being told no is fine—it’s great! Please, sir, can I have some more? In fact, slap on a double scoop of no while you’re at it. That would be super awesome!
Yeah…no. I don’t like it at all.
I especially don’t like to be told no when on vacation. I want to explore and experience my new surroundings freely. But I married a fun-sucker. He’s the one with the level head and likes to come home in one piece without making a trip to a foreign hospital. To keep me safe, he’ll say mean things like:
--“No, Stacy, don’t taste the water dripping from the cave rocks. It could have bacteria.”
--“Don’t climb on the lava. If you fall, it will cut you to shreds.”
--“No, don’t swim after the sharks. You are food, not friend.”
--“Don’t swim up to the Moray eel’s face. It will bite you!”
--“Get back in the car! You will sink in the quicksand!”
--“The sign says: Keep out!”
See? Fun. Sucker.
Although my desires may seem fun at the time, thankfully, I am married to a man who loves me and can reel in my crazy. I know he wants the best for me, and I appreciate it—most of the time.
First Peter 4:1, 2 says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” (NIV).
If our goal is to grow into mature believers who look more like Jesus, we must hear the word no more often than we like. It might not be a for-such-a-time-as-this moment just yet.
When God tells us no, the work of sanctification begins. His no to our plans straightens out our priorities. Our ways, which once seemed important, become insignificant compared to the will and plans of God.
In the process of dying to our selfish behaviors, we learn to have the same attitude that is in Christ Jesus, who humbled Himself to the will of the Father. The night He was crucified, Jesus prayed, asking, “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39 NIV).
God even said no to His beloved son. In Jesus’s death and resurrection, our salvation began. The temporary (albeit excruciating) pain of God’s no made a way for our eternal yes.
If it was good for the Father to say no to Jesus, how much more so for us? Although I don’t like to be told no or not yet, I am thankful for God’s directions.
And because of my husband’s no, I am safe—even though he’s more of a fun sucker than I would like.
Father, we are grateful that You love us enough to tell us no. Help us to remember that Your no may be the opening to an even-better-than-we-could-ever-imagine yes. We trust You, Lord, and faithfully await Your plans to unfold at just the right time. Amen.
This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).
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