How Saying Yes to Life Might Be Your Gateway to Greater Joy
It’s an unseasonably warm spring morning, and we’re hurrying down the road to stay on schedule. There are articles to write, meals to prepare, and towels to fold. Accomplishing these tasks is my idea of saying yes to life today.
As the sun rises higher, we set out in search of frog eggs before delving into the work of the day.
We’re almost home when little Bekah stops along the road and calls me to look at her treasure. I suspect she’s found another daffodil.
“No, Mom! You just have to see this!” she yells.
Turning back, I’m astonished by the sight before me. My girl holds a golden flower with a tiny butterfly resting on the petals.
We pause to enjoy the mystery of the tiny creature. It feels like a gift from God, not only in the beauty and intricacy of its design, but in the way he willingly uses small things to stop hurried mothers and remind us about things that really matter. Lasting things. Eternal things.
The Truth about Saying Yes to Life
As we finish our walk, I’m struck by an interesting thought. For years, I’ve held onto the precept that it’s important to learn to say no. While this statement is true, I often forget that it’s equally important to remember how to say yes.
An old adage goes something like this: Saying no is the secret to greater contentment, fulfillment, and peace.
Throughout the years, I’ve learned to embrace this statement.
I have embedded in the parts of my mind that guide me in making decisions. I’ve become an expert at setting boundaries and learning to say no.
As the sun shines warm upon my face, a light is illuminated in a sleeping part of my soul: What if we’re wrong?
Not about setting boundaries – boundaries are needed to protect our priorities.
Sometimes, we need to say no to make room for a more pressing yes.
What if we’re wrong when we assume the word no is to be the dominant answer in our lives?
Later in the day, I search the pages of Scripture, and I find something quite different than a Savior who says no. Instead, I find that, again and again, Jesus says yes.
Jesus’ Example
Jesus says yes when the blind men stop him along the road and ask for healing.
He says yes when the crowds press in and want what he has.
He says yes when he’s tired and hungry and the people want food.
Jesus says yes when messengers come with requests for healing.
What does this mean for us? For the tired mom who balances full-time work with full-time parenting? What’s it mean for the woman who runs a business, volunteers in the community, and teaches Sunday school every weekend? What’s it mean for the college grad and the lonely elderly woman living alone in a small apartment?
Is God Asking You to Join Him in Saying Yes to Life
I think it just might mean this:
Saying yes to life, and all its interruptions, holds the power to enrich our lives.
Saying yes to life holds the power to create contentment and lasting abundance . . . if we can only learn to say yes to the right things.
So, what should we make sure we save room for in our over-packed lives? Where do we need to make sure there’s space for yes?
1. Saying yes to interruptions that will bless others
It’s easy to grumble when a friend calls from afar with a flat tire or empty gas tank.
It’s tempting to hide in the basement when an unexpected visit from a salesperson or member of some other religious denomination knocks at the door.
What if these interruptions are the divine encounters God intends to use to bring his kingdom to earth?
The principle of setting boundaries means we don’t say yes to every social obligation or invitation to join a committee. We can’t attend every meeting for every charitable organization in town. However, we can identify the priorities that matter most to the people who are most important to us. We can show up at their basketball games, recitals, and living room gatherings.
2. Saying yes to loving the one in front of you
Jesus made time to look into the eyes of those who passed him on the streets.
When we make time to really see the people in front of us and search for a way to shine light into their lives through an encouraging word or smile, we choose a better yes.
Do you have time to slow down at the store and looking into the eyes of the cashier? Do you have time to speak and encouraging word to her?
God is glorified when we create space our days to slow down and receive his unexpected assignments.
3. Saying yes when God brings opportunities to make his love known
Some of us spend years of our lives wrestling to “find God’s will.”
God’s will is clear in Scripture.
When it comes to our souls, his will is mostly about cultivating a joyful, thankful, prayerful attitude.
When it comes to our daily choices, his will is that everyone would come to know him. Our lives ought to be sold out for the purpose of making his love known to the world.
4. Saying yes to silence and solitude
One of the best ways to build a firm foundation and gain perspective that will carry us through our daily decision-making moments is saying yes to silence and solitude.
Silence and solitude ground us in the love of God when we still our racing minds and seek God with expectation.
These practices also slow our racing lives to assess where we can grow in Christ-likeness. Saying yes to silence and solitude is a gateway to a richer, fuller life.
A Free Devotional to Help You Encounter God
Let’s learn to weigh our answers heavily. Let’s assure that every no is simply making room for a better yes to the things that matter most in our lives.
Is it time to get the fire back in your walk with God? My free gift to you is my 10-day devotional, Fan the Flame. This devotional offers dozens of practical ways to connect with God. Click here, and I will send this devotional directly to your email inbox.
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Calling all moms and daughters!
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