When God Says No

NO!

We hate that answer.

We want a yes.  

We want a yes the way WE want our yes.  

The way WE want things to go. 

The way WE have made it up in our mind how our lives should work.

But what do you do when He says no?

Do you even give Him an opportunity to say no or do we not even ask Him?

His yes will be determined by how we handle His no.  

What do I mean by that?

It comes down to obedience.  

If you get into your car to go to a destination, there are certain roads that you shouldn't take.  Those roads may lead to dead ends, a bridge that's out, or  a detour that will take you hours away from your final destination. It's important to follow the directions to get to your goal on time and efficiently.  

I think sometimes we obey google maps more than we obey God. 

We put our trust in a computer program to get us to where we need to go more than we put our trust in an all knowing, all powerful God who can direct our lives and lead us along the perfect plan He has for us.

In order for God to give us a yes, the yes that will open doors only He can open, we have to be willing to trust that His no is part of the plan too.  The Bible says in Ephesians 3:10 that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. So while we want to control the outcome, He is saying, "Trust. Let me work. Let me do more than what you are even thinking can be done. I will take your plan, change it to mine, and exceed all of your expectations.  But you have to trust. And you have to accept my no's when I give them to you."

What He can do through us and for us depends on the power we allow to flow through us.  Don't quench His spirit.  When we take matters into our own hands, we plug up the flow of the spirit in our lives.  We dam up His plan.  We put a stop to what He wants to do because we trust our own ability over His.

His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Perfect surrender is allowing Him to take control.  It's getting under His authority and direction for your life.  

And learning to not pitch a fit when He says no.

When He says no, trust that it is still part of His plan.  We can never walk fully in the yes of His plan, if we don't learn to understand that the noes are also directing us and saving us and molding us.  

One more thought -  In the last sentence of the first paragraph, you'll notice that I wrote that God will lead us ALONG the perfect plan He has for us, no TO the perfect plan. Learn to enjoy the process.  Enjoy the scenery and the lessons and the people you will meet WHILE you are living His plan. The beauty, the miracles, the growth, the learning, the love -  it's all found in the process, not just the end result. 

The noes are part of the process.  

Stop kicking against the noes and learn to see them as God's guiding hand, saving you from the wrong way, and leading you to people and situations and outcomes that are perfectly designed to grow you, mold you, and keep up safe.  Most importantly, they will teach you that He is a mighty God. He loves you so much that He hold you in the palm of His hand, and if you let Him, He will direct your steps and light your path.