“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...” Proverbs 3:5 [NIV]
Have you ever prayed about something and not liked the answer God gave you?
I was ecstatic when the ministry I was serving with finally had a position open up on the team I wanted to serve with! I eagerly let them know I was interested and requested the additional applicant information.
When the additional info arrived in my inbox, I anxiously combed through every detail. I was so excited! I didn’t want to wait; I wanted to fill out the application and hit send right then. But I knew I needed to pray about it before I got ahead of myself.
So I prayed and I prayed, but I had no peace about applying. It was as if God was telling me, “Not to apply.”
At first I thought maybe I hadn’t heard Him right. This was something I had dreamed about doing for a long time. I mean, why couldn’t I apply? Where was the harm in it? If I wasn’t supposed to get this position, then I wouldn’t get picked. Right?
Maybe not….
Although I wasn’t sure what God was doing, I chose to follow His lead and hold off on applying.
Over the next few days—with the deadline approaching fast—I continued to pray and seek His wisdom. And with every fervent prayer I prayed, it became clear that this wasn’t the right time for me to apply. Eventually I emailed the ministry back to let them know I wouldn’t be applying. It was a hard email to write, but knew it was the right thing to do. I still didn’t understand what God was doing, but I knew He had a plan—and I trusted that it was a good one!
We may not understand God’s plan, but we can trust that it’s a good one. –Tweet this!
Have you recently gotten a “No” from God? It can be difficult to understand why God tells us, “No.” But He always has a good reason for it. The next time God says no to something you had your heart set on, try to remember these four important things:
1. We may not be ready.
God knows us better than we know ourselves. He won’t release us to take on something new until we are mentally and spiritually ready. If we aren’t ready, we may crumble under the pressure of the role.
2. God might have something else for us to do.
God can see things we can’t. There may be something down the road He wants us to do. If we were to take on this role we probably wouldn’t be able to handle the one He has planned for us.
3. It may not be the right time.
God’s timing is always perfect. This may not be the right time to take on a new role for us or our family. It may add unnecessary stress to our life, preventing us from giving everything the attention it deserves.
4. It could have hindered us from using our gifts.
God knows where our gifts will bring Him the most glory. He wants us in roles that utilize our gifts. If we’re in a role that stifles our gifts, we won’t be able to serve Him to the best of our ability.
We may not ever understand God’s plan, but we can rest in the truth that it’s for our good and His glory.
Let’s pray:
“Lord I praise you for the perfect plan you have for us. I may not understand it, but I trust that it’s a good plan—one that is better than anything I could come up with on my own. Thank you for all you do to keep me on the right path. In Jesus’ name, Amen”
Thank you for me today! ~Kelly Basham
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So hard to hear that “no” from God, and I will confess that this is one of my toughest lessons in the Christian life. Thanks for sharing your growing faith so that mine can grow too!
You are welcome my friend!
Oh, sister this is so true. I experienced this a month or so ago. It was clear my plan was not aligned with his will.
As I read this my heart cringed remembering all the times God said no or not yet. (But then I remember all those times I barged ahead of Him and really made a mess of things.) Yes, it’s not easy, but trusting in His timing and ways are best. I’m glad you were obedient to His leading, and I’m excited to see what God has in store for you!
Thank you Kelly. I’m excited to see what God has planned too!
Hi Kelly-Oh how I have been in these same shoes. It’s so difficult wanting something we think is what God wants for us, only to hear His “no-go this other way, instead.” I have so ‘been there, done that’ and written all about it! Thanks for sharing, I pray God will open a window for you to see what His next steps for you will be soon. Let’s just keep following Him!
Thank you for the prayers Jill!