As busy moms, we often find ourselves juggling endless requests for our time…cookies for the bake sale at church, volunteering to read in the classroom, running the scoreboard at hockey…the list goes on and on. They’re all good opportunities- they’d all be a “good yes.” But they can’t all be our “best yes.”
I’ve spent some time paying attention to my yeses recently. Although well-intended, our “yes” to one thing can inadvertently negatively affect our “yes” to another. And here’s another thought: when we fill our calendar to the brim with well-meaning yeses, we don’t leave room to hear and obey the daily nudges God fills our heart with. When we take time to discern what our time and energy should go to by asking God where He wants us, not only will those yeses be blessed, they will also be fruitful. Suddenly, our saying “yes” to someone else’s request has become a blessing in our own life.
Lysa Terkeurst calls this an act of Godly Obedience: the desire to walk in the center of God’s will at every moment (What Happens When Women Say Yes to God Devotional). She goes on to explain that “saying yes to God isn’t about perfect performance, but instead perfect surrender to the Lord, day by day. Obedience is hearing from God, feeling His nudges, participating in His activity, and experiencing His blessings in ways few people ever do.”
A few of the ways I use to discern the best yes for myself and my family:
1) Quiet time with God every morning. Time to pray, journal, read devotions, read scripture and time to listen expectantly for God’s direction. When I do this, I can easily see when things are being presented to me repeatedly- that’s a sure sign to listen up!
2) When you’ve been presented with a request or opportunity, don’t answer right away. Take some time to make sure it doesn’t affect anything else. Ask yourself, will this feel like more of a burden than a blessing? Does this line up with what else I feel like God is speaking to me/ asking me to do?
3) Dive into some great books where the authors have taken the time to research and guide us in decision making that aligns with scripture. These three books, all by Lysa Terkeurst, have greatly guided me: The Best Yes, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God (workbook and daily devotional). Also, Called to Create by Jordan Raynor is an excellent reference in discerning God’s calling for your life.
I really want to be a “yes, Lord!” kind of girl. (Even if it changes the plans I’ve made for myself!) I want God’s plans to be my plans. I want to take the next step, in obedience, along this beautiful path He has laid out just for me. Like I talked about in my last post, we each have a divine mission….and it’s filled with daily divine appointments requiring our “Yes, Lord!”
I will close with a few more nourishing words from Lysa Terkeurst: “What is God calling you to say yes to? Don’t say yes out of obligation. Park your heart and mind in a place that will cultivate gratitude and a willing spirit- His word. God wants to bless you! Get excited about His will and the plans he has for you.” So, go ahead, sweet friend, say “YES, LORD!” and just watch those blessings pour in.