Joy Challenge #2: Say “no” to something good that isn’t great
That one is hard, isn’t it? We want to say “yes” to all of the opportunities that come our way. We want to do what everyone else is doing, and we secretly want people to look at us with awe and ask “how do you do it all?” Guess what? We can’t do it all, and we’re not supposed to do it all.
Today, ask God to show you an area where you have said “yes” to something that you should have said “no” to – something that is good and worthwhile and exciting – but maybe not God’s best. We need to have room for the great things that line up with the journey God has planned for us, and to be willing to open up a space for someone else to step into a role they’ve been waiting for. Maybe your “no” will be just the open door they’ve been asking God to reveal.
For me, I tend to struggle with placing my value and worth on the number of “things” that I’m doing. Then I get overwhelmed trying to juggle it all, and I work harder to try to go after the things I would really love to do and get jealous when they go to someone else. But there isn’t freedom or joy in that life. I would rather do fewer tasks that serve God well than a lot of “things” that serve myself. Joy is absolutely worth it.
Questions:
- What is God asking you to step away from that might be good, but not great?
- How can creating more space in your life to receive gifts from God bring more joy?
- When has someone else’s “no” been the “yes” you were waiting for?
Good stuff! Have you ever heard Jonny Diaz’s song “Breathe?” This post reminds me of my favorite line from the song: “Lay down what’s good and find what’s best”…So good…and so challenging!