When Saying "Yes" is Enabling

Pleasing Everyone

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Do you know someone that has no control over their life because they are trying to please everyone?

Hello, I'm Clarence, I'm the preacher. I encourage you to take control of your life, in a godly way of course.

Part of our spiritual training is learning to say no. Jesus said, "let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No." (Matthew 5:37).

Most obviously, we must say no to the world and say yes to the heavenly way, assuming you desire heaven when this life is over. Christians cannot say yes to everyone and everything and still travel the straight and narrow. It just doesn't work that way.

But some people feel uncomfortable saying no. I get that, but part of being Christian means learning when and where to say yes and when and where to say no. It is ok to say no, in fact, Christians must say no at times. Saying no is part of being a good Christian.

Let me try saying it this way. Saying yes to everyone enslaves you to everyone. That's crazy. It will make you feel like a prisoner in your own life. You soon begin to feel that you have no control. Sadness, resentment, and anger start to develop and complicate your life. Trying to please everyone is not healthy, physically, mentally, or spiritually.

You must leave room to develop your own life. Don't have your schedule so full that you have no time for you, and you and God. One of Satan's strategies is to get people so busy they don't have time for God. It is a pretty effective strategy. Many, many people fall for it. You know a person has fallen for it when they say, "But I don't have time for prayer" or bible study, or church.

If you give all your time away, you will come up short in your own life. And worse yet you will come up short in eternity. You must learn to say no so that you can work out your own salvation (Philippians 2:12).

I'm not saying that it is wrong to help other people. I am saying that you can't please everyone. Don't even try. Please God. Save time for your spiritual needs, responsibilities, and training.

And also understand that some people are takers. Some people will take every minute they can and leave you to struggle. Say "No" to those people. There is nothing noble in letting people lead you down a path of self-destruction.

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