I’m really not sure what you would say if you were to look into my life this week…or most weeks. It really looks absolutely crazy–and I won’t overwhelm you with the crazy and I certainly do not want to share what I feel I’ve been asked to do by Him–because the fruit of it is really HIS strength working rather than my own. But I had a thought today when an acquaintance so kindly offered me some advice today when she saw me passing by in my crazy.
“Andrea. I have a really great book I want you to read. It’s really helped me–it’s about how to say no.”
Really?
And why did my heart feel so sad at that kind recommendation? This mom really didn’t know me–but what she did know is I looked and appeared over committed, and she thought this momma (AKA: ME) just needed to learn boundaries. But…
What if God is a God with limitless boundaries?
What if that same God asked us instead of learning to say no well and often…to stop pouring over books on maintaining healthy boundaries and how to say NO…what if He wanted us to actually take more chances in saying YES…even when it doesn’t make sense?
Why would we only say yes to what “WE” can do–when it’s really not supposed to be us doing it anyway? Wouldn’t we trust Him to do more through us if we really believed it was Him working?
What if we actually got down right messy with those who needed us?
What if we sacrificed our space and our comfortable…
Our schedules that already feel crazy?
To trust God with “there is NO way I can do this…I need peace in my day…BUT I see where you can work in it–I so here are my hands…use them if you want to. Let it be your strength and not my own…take it all Lord…and may it be YOUR strength alone seeing it through.”
I completely understand and agree that you can’t and should NOT say yes to everything. But when you see need…when you see no one else is already there…when you feel compassion and you feel it is from the Lord–yet your calendar seems full–instead of just saying you’ll pray…maybe He is challenging us as believers to really learn to make room for what really matters and to say YES…to be His hands and feet even when it isn’t easy or convenient.
I have to say–I have been so much more blessed by the yes’s…than the no’s. Yet the world encourages us to learn to say NO…and I guess to just let someone else do it? Stepping out in crazy…when it doesn’t make sense–RATHER THAN being protective over calendars, schedules and “When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” mentality. I’m sorry–but *I* do NOT want to have control of my life. I can’t afford to protect my schedule or calendar…for myself. Because when you wake and ask Him to show you need–He will. When you ask Him to use you in it no matter what you think you can handle…He does.
Miracles happen.
And by His sweet grace, you get to be a part of it.
All the while your children are in it with you…and blessed through it. The “arithmetic and reading” of homeschool can just wait…because you have some times more important things to teach them.
I ran into that sweet acquaintance (that thankfully doesn’t know I have a blog;) again tonight who reminded me she had that book for me to read. I had to be honest, decline it–and say I really, really appreciated it. BUT–I just can’t afford to read it. I’m really trying to learn how to say yes and to step outside of my comfort zone. Because I think the world is really trying hard to teach us all how to say no instead.
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