“Well, me, too!”
When I checked in with a friend during a church service last spring, I asked her how I could pray for her. Her response was a wise request: “Please ask God to help me be slower with my ‘yes’s.’”
In the days that followed and in the time I spent praying for my friend, I realized just how much that prayer could (and should!) be coming from my own heart on my own behalf.
How often have I been asked to help or serve or volunteer and automatically agreed – when what I should’ve done was to ask for time to process that request through prayer and wise counsel from biblical community?
And you know what happened instead? I said “yes” and immediately went into panic mode, wondering how in the world I could ever manage to squeeze one more commitment onto my already crowded schedule.
I’m a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser (thank You, Jesus, for not giving up on me!) so the result has always been that the job gets done and gets done well. But my attitude is usually less than glorifying to the Lord. I end up cranky and tired rather than joyful and satisfied – all because I didn’t slow down and wait on the Lord for His guidance and direction.
So me, too. I want every “yes” I give to be a product of God’s affirmation after a healthy amount of prayer and processing. Sometimes, that will mean a “no,” but it will be a well-discerned, God-honoring “no” that opens the door to a fellow kingdom worker to say “yes” and to step in and use his or her gifts, talents, and abilities to be the blessing.
I never want to bypass calling on the God of all wisdom to help me choose when, where, whom, and how I serve. He promises to lead and guide me if I’ll only wait on Him, and I believe His promise.
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God, I thank You for Your love, Your goodness, and Your kindness toward me. I praise You, the God Who is able…Lord, Your counsel is worth the wait. In that time, You reveal Your ways to me, teaching me Your paths and leading me in Your truth. You lead me in the way I should go as I trust You. Thank You for renewed strength in the waiting. Thank You for the safety You provide through biblical community. Thank You that all I have to do to gain wisdom is to ask for it and You’ll give it with liberality. I praise You – my Strength, my Guide, and my trustworthy God. In the beautiful Name of Jesus, amen. (Psalm 25:4-5, Psalm 143:8, Isaiah 40:31, Proverbs 11:14, James 1:5)
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Thank you for joining in this week’s Scripture memory challenge as we commit to our hearts and minds Psalm 100. This week’s passage is Psalm 100:1-2.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!” - Psalm 100:1-2 (ESV)
