Making Room For Yes

My natural inclination is to say yes when asked to help someone, participate in an event or work on a project.  As a rule, I feel good about volunteering and others appreciate my help.  But experience over decades of ministry has taught me that saying yes to everything soon results in having to say no to better things and failing to leave room for Divine appointments and prompting of the Spirit.

As a parent, if your day is filled with the demands of work and your evenings taken up with community volunteerism, just when are you taking time with your children?  As a spouse that is busily going and doing, serving in multiple good and godly venues, how well are you meeting the needs of your spouse?  As a businessman, always busy with business, how well are you meeting the needs of your family, friends, church and community?

As a pastor for three decades, I found myself wanting to be a part of everything.  And, for the first decade, I pretty much was - to the growing determent of my family and my health.  I was heading down the path, which is a major contributor to 60% of pastors dropping out of full-time ministry by the 7th year: Over-commitment.

In one of those personality tests I took somewhere back in the early 90s, I registered as a "Golden Retriever"; One of those individuals who wants to please everyone.  But the fact is, even the best of dogs can only chase one stick at a time.  Every time I say yes to one thing, I must say no to whatever else I could be doing or helping in at that given time.

Even Jesus, who came and died in his quest to "seek and save that which was lost" (Lk 19:10), "often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Lk 5:16).  As much as he desired to bless people, he often said no to the opportunity in order to make room for saying yes to quiet time with the Father.  Sometimes, he would retreat with disciples for the specific purpose of resting and recharging their batteries.  Making room for yes means saying no to somethings.

So, the point I've been coming to is the need to make priorities and keep them.  Attending worship is a priority for me.  If something is planned during that time, it will likely happen without my participation.  Work is a priority, I don't just miss work.  If something urgent comes up like a family emergency, my priorities will shift.  If there is something really important planned like an anniversary trip, a mission week or our recent Apostles' Habitat for Humanity work day, I'll schedule time off.

As hard as it is to say no, we have to force it out sometimes, making room for yes when the Spirit prompts, making room for those Divine appointments, making room for higher priorities, making room for rest, making room for family, making room for church, making room for yes when it counts the most for any given moment in time.  No, it isn't easy.  Yes, it is worth it.  Jus' Say'n.