Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Do you hate it when God says no to you? If I am being honest here then, yes, on a few occasions I have been upset…after all…why would God want to tell “me” no? Maybe we can find out in this lesson.
Somehow we believe that God just doesn’t know how much we want something, or He just isn’t listening to us when we ask for it, or maybe we want it yesterday, but God says no…………………not now.
Ever think that God should just understand how much we want whatever “it” is like yesterday and when He doesn’t do it…do we get upset with God?
Listen carefully: God doesn’t work for us! We are His creation. He is not a sugar daddy and we can’t con God to get something. God sees our hearts, our needs, and what is best for us…now and in the future.
Not everything is good for us so when it isn’t would you really expect God to say yes and give it to you, or make it available to you?
I know when my kids were growing up and wanted something and hounded to get it…sometimes I said yes, sometimes no, and sometimes…they just were not ready for it. I didn’t want them to have something that would hurt them. Well, God doesn’t want us to face that as well.
Here are four things God says no to, or might say no to.
It may not be the right person (if it is about a person). God might want something done but you might not be the person in His mind to do whatever “it” is. 1 chronicle 7:1-4, 11-12
It may not be the right time. God’s timing is absolutely perfect. If God gives us a promise He will keep it and in His timing will perform it. Don’t go against his timing. Genesis 17:15-17
You may not be doing something with the right heart. Do you sit and cry and complain? Numbers 14:26-30
It may not be the right plan. Just as Jesus wished the plan could have changed and He would not have suffered He wanted and did the will of the Father. Luke 22:39-42
Sometimes what we want in life just might not be good for us, or we might not be ready for it.
How do we react when God says not or wait? Do we reject what God says? Do we resent it? Do we try to manipulate God? Do we accept what God says no matter if we understand it or not.
So, pray and seek why and what you need to change or understand in the situation. Do you humble yourself no matter what God says (1 Chronicles 17:16,18. Do you praise God no matter what the situation is or what looks like to you (1 Chronicles 17:19,20). Do you recognize God’s blessings and they don’t depend on that thing you are asking for (1 chronicles 17:21). Do you accept God’s decisions no matter what you are feeling as God’s ways are not our way and God always knows what is best for us. God sees the entire picture where we only see the circumstances of the moment (1 Chronicles 17:23). Do you trust God and know our Father in heaven knows best?
God is like spinach. It is so good for you but unless you eat it…it won’t do your any good. Eat the word of God daily.
God always hears us
God always wants what is best for us
God will never leave us or forsake us
God loves us more than we can ever know
We must give God our ultimate praise. Why? Because He is God and He deserves it every moment of every day.
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Remember that “…in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
We should all love the truth of God’s word. But people are crazy and they seem to only agree with God if God is doing things their way. That is not how God works. God is a good…good…good Father and we ca always trust Him. Our children might be able to con us at times but you can’t con God. Don’t pick and choose verses to try to make them fit into what you want…ask God what is best for you at this time. Just because God says no right now…doesn’t mean that somewhere donw the road He won’t say yes when the time is right and the circumstances are good.
Sometimes we think we understand what God wants from us when we really have no clue, or someone says something to us and so we think we can do and that they are speaking for God….don’t go there. God might use someone to tell you something…but get it from God as well. God is not the author of confusion. You should have peace if God told you to go out into the world and do whatever.
In his personal life, Paul was plagued by what he called a “thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul pleaded with the Lord on three separate occasions to take this “thorn” from him, but God said “no.” In this trial, Paul learned to appropriate greater measures of God’s grace and to live for the glory of God through the difficulty. His response to God’s “no” was to glory in his weakness (verse 9). Instead of giving up in frustration or deciding God did not care, Paul chose to “delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (verse 10).
What we learn from the bible are examples because God never stops being God. He is sovereign: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ . . . What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” (Isaiah 46:9–11).
God will often say “no” to things we desire to see happen. Those with immature faith sometimes use this as an excuse to abandon Him altogether: “God didn’t heal my baby.” “God didn’t save my marriage.” “God didn’t give me that job I needed.” If our view is that God is obligated to grant our requests like a genie grant wishes, then we will be dismayed when God does not “perform” for us. We choose whether to allow a “no” from God to shatter our faith or build it up; a “no” from God can teach us to endure—even when we don’t understand (James 1:3).
Think on this as well. God might tell you no. Are you going to blame God and run away from Him, or ask Him why or why not to your request? God knows best so why do we so often don’t believe Him?
I, like everyone else, want to hear yes to what I ask God for, but many times God has said no, maybe later, and on some occasions, He has said yes. I have found out over time even when God said no or wait…later it made a lot more sense. We don’t have to understand everything God does. However, He sees our heart and totally understands us. Let us each not get angry or upset when we hear no or wait from God. God is always working for us behind the scenes.
Now, my God bless you and help you. May He give you what is necessary for your walk with Him, and show you the right path to be on. We have a wonderful Father in heaven who loves us. Let us praise Him no matter which answers we might get.
God bless you