No's and Not Yet's

Precious sisters, have you ever asked God for something and His response to you has been no or not just yet?  I know I have.  Sometimes in our human minds it is hard to understand His answer when it is opposite to the one we desire, but we know through God's words in Isaiah 55:8 and 9 that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  In fact, the New Living Translation says it this way:

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord.  "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

Although it is a very familiar verse, it brings me comfort in those seasons of no or not just yet.

Last night we had communion service at our home church and as we sat as a family in the pew, the servers began preparing to serve the elements, and Brenna, like many times before, leaned over to her daddy and whispered in his ear, "Can I take communion?" 

Daddy bent closer, wrapped his arm around her, scooted her close, and gave his gentle response to her question, "Not this time."  As he continued to hold her close,  a little puddle of tears brimmed at her lower lids. 

He knew his response was not what she wanted to hear, but his no was filled with love.  His no was filled with compassion toward her.  He knew she didn't quite understand why, and he felt her pain as he saw those puddles filling her eyes.  She wants to be as big as everyone else, but doesn't quite understand the enormity of what communion means, so we have not allowed her to participate yet, for there is still much for her to learn.  Although, Daddy said no, he continued to hold her near and she rested in his embrace.

As he drove home, that no opened the door for just the two of them to talk. 

Just the two of them to draw closer on the matter.

Although she doesn't completely understand the no, her closeness and connection with her daddy made the no much easier to accept, and when we all finally got home, she was moving through the house singing praise songs. 

She may have had a no in her ears, but there was joy in her heart.

Hear me for a minute fellow Jesus girls, sometimes He tells us no. And I'll be the first to say I don't like it when He does.  But - He doesn't say no to us, then close the door and walk away.  His no is filled with love.  He knows we won't completely understand why, but He still asks us to trust Him on it.  He doesn't say no to us and treat us coldly.  If we let Him pull us close, rest in His embrace, keep talking to Him, letting Him teach us, that no will be so much easier to accept.  His no's and not yets can - and should be - trusted.

We may hear no in our ears, but we can still have joy in our hearts.


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King