“If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to him and ask him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.”  Elisabeth Elliot

Whoa. Raise your hand if that quote hit you straight in the heart. Both hands up over here! “If we have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God didn’t put there…” I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a lot of my life saying “yes” to pretty much any and every opportunity sent my way—mainly, because I hate disappointing people. Yep, I just admitted it. I am a recovering people pleaser. Whew, it feels GOOD to get that off of my chest.

For years, I thought saying yes meant I was doing God’s work. But as I started to dive into scripture, I realized that even Jesus had to say no to some good opportunities, in order to grab hold of right the opportunities—the ones he was meant to say yes to. We have to make space in our agendas for God to be God to lead us.

Have you ever felt God leading you to do something, but you didn’t feel like you had the time to do it? That’s how you know it’s time to reevaluate your schedule and eliminate a few things. “There’s always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.” What things can you say no to today? Is there something on your plate that you know you’re not supposed to be doing? Say no, and let God lead you to your next yes.

In a culture that equates worth with busyness, we have to retrain our minds to know that there is power in rest. When we rest at the feet of Jesus, we won’t have to wonder what we should say yes to. He will lead us to the right opportunities, and He’ll give us the strength and energy to do them well. Let’s shift our focus from pleasing people, to obeying God’s leadership, and He will undoubtedly give us the opportunity to serve people. When we’re free to serve people, instead of striving to please them, we will find ourselves bringing joy to others. Joy transcends happiness. It doesn’t waiver based on circumstances. That’s something that’s worth saying yes to. So, let’s get to it. What can you say no to, today? Do it. You’ll be amazed by the good that will come from it.