Last time, I talked about the concept that every journey begins with a call and that when we are called to more, ‘yes’ must always precede the first step to the journey. Perhaps even more important than our ‘yes’ to move forward is the ‘no’ to the things that keep us from moving forward. An easy example is a ‘no’ to staying up late watching TV or scrolling social media, so we can say yes to getting up early to workout or pray before going to work.
Sometimes the ‘no’ is not so obvious. In order to move closer to our desired destination, we have to say no to negative thoughts, limiting beliefs, old dreams—maybe even jealous or unsupportive friends and relatives. When we say no to these things, it frees up room for us to say yes to expansive new ways to think about things, a belief that all things are possible, bigger dreams, and a circle of friends that support and facilitate our growth. Saying no is rarely easy, but it makes room for what’s essential to complete our journey.
When I was growing up, my father impressed upon me the importance of getting a good job—preferably a job with the government so I could build a solid pension and retire. This is certainly sound advice, especially for the generation he grew up in. I did follow my father’s advice for a season, but after working 15 years as a public defender and 10 years as a superior court judge, I began to hear a call to do something more than build my pension.
When I announced that I was going to retire after 10 years on the bench, I knew people thought I had lost my mind.
Not only did I work hard to get there, it was also a prestigious career and, admittedly, I hadn’t worked long enough to get my full pension! However, the call to serve as an entrepreneur and empower people to break the chains imprisoning their minds was undeniable. To make this leap, I had to say no to the idea that there was only one way to fulfill my dream of serving and ministering to people. I had to say no to the idea that people like me were only meant to work for others and then retire. Hardest of all, I had to say no to the idea that my beloved daddy’s advice was no longer serving me. Once I made the decision to say no, there was still a process to let go of the ideas and beliefs that were keeping me from living my best life. Every day is a bit of a struggle, but once I said no, I was able to go in the right direction.
Presiding Action
Take a moment to reflect on what you may need to say no to.
Think about one thing that you want to do, who you want to become, or something you want to have.
What are the not-so-obvious things that could be holding you back? Is it a simple habit, a mindset, a belief, or even a person?
Be a good Steward over your journey and say no, so you can say yes to the incredible things God has for you.