I recently started reading Lysa Terkeurst’s book, The Best Yes. She writes about her life and coming to terms with her Best Yes, which is the role that each of us are supposed to place. She details that coming to these roles and playing these parts in God’s story depends on our ability to use the important words of Yes and No.

I’m a Yes Girl. Before I’ve even thought through what I’m committing to, Yes is already out of my mouth. I long to meet needs. I want to be available. I want to be dependable. Sounds good, right? In theory, but in practice, I can find myself committed to more than what I can handle, and as a result, I’m exhausted and unable to give my best to everything I have committed to. My relationships, specifically my relationship with God, suffer when I overcommit. The things I was so excited to do and the ways I was excited to serve become burdens and items on my to-do list.

I’m starting to say no more. No, that date does not work for me. No, I cannot fit that into my schedule. No, I cannot cover your shift. I don’t say no easily or lightly, I try to evaluate when and why I’m saying no. I’ve also started to evaluate what I’m saying yes, before I say it. Am I wanting to please someone? Am I afraid to say no? Am I making this about me? There are plenty of good things that I can say yes to, but are they God things, that’s what I’m trying to evaluate.

One of my very best friends shared with me early on in my walk with Jesus, as leadership positions and responsibilities started to pull me in different directions, that my no gives someone else the opportunity to say yet. When I say no, because that’s what God has led me to do, someone else says yes to what God is calling them to. To take that one step further, there are some wonderful yeses that I’ve been able to say because someone else said no first.

Yes and no are equally powerful words. Just as I can experience God’s goodness in saying yes, stepping up to the plate, meeting a need, He is equally as good when I am obedient in saying no.

*I am over halfway through The Best Yes and I strongly recommend it. Lysa Tekeurst, the Executive Director of Proverbs 31 Ministries, does a terrific job storytelling and Bible teaching alongside each other about such a relevant issue!