Healthy CommunicationSample

Honesty is the Best Policy

The truth is, we’re never going to be able to keep everyone happy all of the time. And if we try, we can wave goodbye to our peace and our ability to communicate honestly.

So many people are trapped by the fear of people being disappointed in them, so they say yes to more than they can manage. This is a major reason why countless people are over-committed, too busy, in a hurry, and stressed out!

Now, I’m not saying we should have a belligerent, rebellious attitude that says, “I don’t care what you think, and I don’t care what you do!” The Bible does tell us to serve one another (see 1 Peter 4:10; Mark 10:42-45), but the Word also instructs us to not be people pleasers at the expense of pleasing God (see Acts 5:29).

People often ask me, “How in the world do you have time to run a worldwide ministry, write all of your books, record your television program, and also be a wife, mother, and grandmother? How do you keep your priorities straight?”

The last time somebody asked me, I replied, “I don’t keep them straight—I’m constantly straightening them out.”

If we’re going to have a schedule that promotes peace and keeps us from “hurry and worry,” we’re going to have to work at it every single day. It’s going to require us to be selective with our time and even get good at lovingly saying “no” to certain people and activities.

Always remember: You can’t control what everybody else thinks and does. Some people aren’t going to be happy regardless of what you do, and you can’t let their decision to be unhappy keep you from communicating honestly about what you can and can’t handle.

Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has a good plan for our lives—plans for welfare and peace. When we follow His leading and will for our lives and communicate honestly, we can live free from the anxiety of always trying to meet everyone else’s expectations.

Pray: “God, Thank You for setting me free from the fear of people and giving me the courage to say no when I need to. Help me to have the wisdom to do what’s right and what pleases You, and not to make decisions based on fear. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”