WHEN GOD SAYS NO

“No”, the mother said to her child as he repeatedly asks for another toy at the local Target. She knew full well that little Bobby did not need two new toys that day, because he already had a toy box full of toys back in his room at home. Besides, he needed to learn that he could not always have everything he wanted.

You see, little Bobby was not struggling with the fact that he needed more than one toy that day, he was struggling with the fact that he wanted what he wanted when he wanted it. He was experiencing the “GOT TO HAVE IT NOW” syndrome. He wanted that extra toy so bad that he was overheard telling his mother upon her saying, “Bobby why do you need that other toy when you already have more at home?” and he replied, “I want it, just because… and if I don’t get it, I’m going to die!”.

Have you ever experienced that feeling on the level that poor little Bobby was experiencing? Yep, me too! I believe if we were all honest, we would have to say that we have all wanted something so bad that we might not want to die….but we could taste it!

King David in the Scriptures asks God to allow him to build Him a temple to dwell in. The apostle Paul wanted God to remove a thorn that he had in the flesh. Yet they were both told no! Everybody experiences no’s in their lives by someone or some circumstance that prevents their receiving something that they may have wanted.

Sometimes God says yes, sometimes He says wait, but there are other times that He simply tells us no. Upon Paul receiving his no from God in his request found in II Cor. 12:7-9, Paul says, “And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceedingly greatness of these revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought Him about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me… My grace is enough for you, for My strength and power are made perfect and show themselves most effective in your weakness.”

Paul, had a hard time accepting God’s no….I mean he kept going back three different times, yet God simply told Him, …no Paul, I will give you the strength to bear my no….because, my strength and power is made known in your weakness….God was saying, Paul you can do this thing….you can make it….you must give over what you want and know that what I want for you is going to be better…and so you must bear it and trust me on this thing! I don’t think for a moment that God could not have removed Paul’s anguish….but I believe that God was teaching Paul on a higher level to trust Him….so that through Paul’s witness to others, that they too could make it when God said no to them as well!

Upon the end of King David’s life, he chose to focus on what God had allowed him to do instead of what God would not allow him to do. He chose to focus on how God allowed him to reign as king over Israel, and the fact that God was going to establish his son Solomon over that kingdom, passing David’s dream to build God a temple to Solomon. Through David’s prayer in I Chronicles 28 we find that David chose to bless and worship God even though God had said no to him in his most heart felt desire that he had ever had….to build a temple for God to reside in.

Even Jesus in the garden, pleaded with His Father to take the bitter cup that He was about to bear….yet, being God’s Son, He knew that request was one of a …..”if it were only possible” request. In the end, Jesus bared it and accepted God’s no, because Jesus knew that God’s no’s are His way of pointing us in the direction that our life’s ministry is taking us…. and we will be the victors because of it.
 Oh, teach us to rejoice in Your no’s Lord God, because those no’s are just your way of clarifying to us and pointing us in a new direction. We simply need to walk forward in faith… listening to You and doing what You think is best. Help us Lord, when we come face to face with Your no’s….to simply accept it and find the direction that You are leading us in and moreover, to be thankful….thankful for everything that we have already received a yes in!
 Rom. 8:28 says… “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Sweet Friend, God’s no’s are His way of showing us favor and kindness….we just need to believe it!
Loving you today!
Bren