iShineInMinistry

Matthew 5:37 But let your “Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’…

The life of a woman that loves to serve the Lord is filled with wonderful opportunities to be a blessing to people in the body of Christ. Whether you are a listening ear, a memory verse teacher at VBS or a prayer warrior interceding for those in need, you get to be a vessel where God’s love shines through on an often basis. We all know that women in general sometimes have a hard time declining requests to be a help to the people we call friends, neighbors and church family; nevertheless, God made the word ‘no’ for a reason and sometimes we just have to put it to use!

Since we as women are helpers naturally, it is in our make-up to just want to step in and assist with things as the need arises. “Can you lead this Bible study group?” “Are you able to serve in Children’s Ministry this week?” “Will you be singing in the Christmas Choir?” “Can you provide a benevolence meal for a family please?” The list of opportunities to serve goes on and on. For some reason, we think we are supposed to say yes to every single request that comes our way. Sometimes we don’t even pray about it or we feel God prick us in the heart specifically to pass this chance up and we agree to do the task anyway. Now, while we may be doing great things that are godly, when the Lord specifically tells us ‘not this time’ and we say yes anyway, we are being disobedient. That was not our spot to fill; we are potentially stealing someone else’s blessing and simultaneously giving the opportunity for pride to rise up as we feel that “everyone just needs us!”

Galatians 1:10 (ESV) asks the question that we should inquire of ourselves in those moments of not allowing our no to have a chance to be a no.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

We really need to check our hearts and make the decision to be pleasers of God when we are saying yes to too many things and allowing our task lists to pile up. Not only do we lose our focus and the point of serving, but we then give the enemy the chance to sneak in during our potential pride, potential weariness during burnout or potential bitterness towards those who may not be doing as much (according to our standards). Please remember when you serve the Lord to do it with gladness, to do it with a prayerful heart and do it with a heart to serve God and say ‘no’ as He leads. When we do this, we will do all the things we are truly called to do with our whole hearts and we will be so much more useful for His kingdom!

Colossians 3:23 (NKJV) And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward…