Learning to Say “No”

By Paul Krause

The word “no” has become a favorite word of mine. I used to avoid this word because I felt I was letting someone down because I wasn’t there or couldn’t do the task. Then, I learned the truth: 85% of what we do someone else can do, 10% of what we do someone else can be trained to do, and 5% percent of what we do can only be done by us. Did you see that? We should be focusing on the 5%! Sadly, we’re too busy focusing on the 95%.

In Ephesians, Paul gives us some very wise words to help us stay on track with being in God’s will instead of our own. This can be difficult to do if we’re so ready to please everyone all the time or get everything else done before we take care of what God has given us complete control over. Paul tells us to make “the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). This is so important because it's true. Just as we discussed on the first day of this reading plan, we should be giving the very first part of our day to the Lord. This helps us focus on the 5%, instead of us trying to get the 95% done!

Focusing also on that small percentage can also keep us from certain temptations, which can lead us to addictions or keep us away from the will of God. Learn to say the word “no.”

Worship Time

Find a great worship playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, or whatever music app you use.

Bible Time

• Ephesians 5:15–17
• Matthew 11:28–30

Prayer Time

Remember to make this personal and have a notebook ready to go! Ask God to give you the boldness to say “no.” Pray for your day or things you know that are taking up your time away from God. Ask Him to help you prioritize your day.