Red Light Green Light: Saying "No" So We Can Say "Yes" to GodSýnishorn

Exhausted.

Empty.

Enslaved.

Do those words describe how you feel?

I believe that God never piles on more than we can handle. I believe that often, it is us who decide to take on too much. We need to learn to say “no” to some of what we’ve been saying yes to so that we can focus on the priority: God’s plan.

But sometimes, it feels like life is moving too fast.

You’ve rolled up your sleeves to build a life. A family. A career. A ministry. All the charts are up and to the right. The pace has been steadily increasing, and the pressures, responsibilities, and stress levels are going up. You fear that your life is spinning out of control. If the speed keeps accelerating, you’re going to have to leap, and your landing won’t be pretty. The faster you go, the more spectacular the crash. A more spectacular crash means more damaged people. For you, the thrill of living is being replaced by a sense of impending doom.

How do I live life at a sustainable pace? If I keep living at the current pace, there will be a crash.

Now, imagine changing your lifestyle pace from a hurried pace to a sustainable pace. The question is, how do we live life at a sustainable pace?

When saying “no” to people is saying “yes” to God.

Are you doing more than God intended? Do you feel like you’re constantly living in a rat race? Wouldn’t it be great to think at the end of each day that we were leaving no important thing undone?

God never drives us to the point of burnout. God doesn’t burn us. He never gives us things that are beyond the strength or ability He provides.

When we become overwhelmed by commitments and responsibilities, we are operating on our agenda.

Jesus did everything the Father wanted Him to do. He left nothing undone. However, the Bible never shows Jesus as being in a hurry or being stressed out. Despite the enormous pressures on Him, He was never behind schedule. How did He do it?

He put the plans of God above all else.