Learn to say no

To say yes to the will of God, you will have to say no to other things. And some people won’t like it, especially if they are used to getting their own way. People will make demands on you based on their needs and be oblivious to or uncaring about your needs. So you have a choice: be led by God or by others. No one was busier than Jesus or had a greater assignment. Yet we read, “When they found Him, they said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’ But He said to them, ‘Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth’” (Mark 1:37-38 NKJV). Was Jesus saying no to meeting unmet needs? Yes, He knew what His priorities were, and He remained focused. That way, He was able to say to His heavenly Father at the end of His life, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 NLT). If you have a hard time saying no, stop and mentally picture what you think will happen when you say no. The only way to conquer your fear or insecurity in this area is to begin to take small risks until you are finally comfortable giving a firm no. When a person gets into debt through reckless spending, you’re not doing them a favour by saying yes to bailing them out. You’re enabling them! By saying yes to someone who refuses to learn a new skill set they’re capable of, you’re promoting “learned helplessness.” So learn to say no.