Have you ever had those moments of dread as you tell yourself, “Why did I agree to this?” If you answered yes, chances are you struggle with setting and keeping healthy boundaries. Put aside for a moment the lectures you may have heard from the past and recognize God’s use of the word ‘no’. He uses it often. No, is a holy word. Why? If we choose to live God’s way then we are set apart (holy) from the world. This means we embrace our ‘no’ and practice using it as the Lord leads.
Many believers report feeling like a door mat. Somehow they believe that “dying to ourselves” means living for everyone else. This is a lie. We die to ourselves to rise in Jesus and live for Him. Then, God lovingly tells us when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’. Once you start to use this mighty word, you may notice that it annoys folks. You are now setting a verbal boundary that perhaps didn’t exist before. Why should you be pleased about this? Christ tells us that if you allow your no to become yes it is “from the evil one.” Again, don’t take my word for it, please dig into your bible. Start a new habit, ask God, “Father would you have me say yes or no?” Then obey His instruction!
- “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No,’ ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37)
