More meetings?
Just say yes.
More hours?
Just say yes.
More time away from your family?
Just say yes.
Sacrifice more of your health?
Just say yes.
Doing something you’re not sure of?
Just say yes.
Of course, I do say yes to some things, like dark chocolate and black coffee; reading in the hammock and playing Lego on the floor with my kids. I say yes to movies and TV Shows and great books. And yep, there’ll be times when you say yes and you’re not sure, a step of faith, an act of sacrifice; it’s the nature of life. But I reject the culture of FOMO and “just say yes” to everything; using ‘sacrifice’ as a way to justify the carnage created by all our yes’s.
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You know what? There is not a single scripture or text in the Bible that encourages us to perpetuate a yes culture. Not a one. There are, however, verses and stories about seasons and times, choosing and deciding, weighing up options and leaving some behind. Resting AND working. Healing AND productivity. If you say yes to everything, you’re really saying no to everything. Overcommitting is ensuring many of us never have the time to question, think, repair and rest.
We’re just so busy doing all the things.
If you say yes to something or someone, say it with your spirit. Say it because your whole body says so, because your blood calls for it, because you know you were born for this ‘yes.' And say ‘no' for the same reasons. Being a Christian, and in ministry, doesn’t mean that ‘yes’ has to become your go-to word.
For a few years there, I kept saying yes because I believed that one day, one of my yes's would pay off. You know what? All that happened was that when I needed to say yes to my kids, yes to my health, yes to my purpose, all I had left were no’s. I had used up all my yes's in a culture that forgot it wasn’t an empire to be built, but a Kingdom to be lived into.
In which there is (should be) no such thing as collateral damage.
So I turned to prayer. I stopped saying yes, and I slowed down. I started to listen, be still, said no to noise and clamour and constant activity.
I began to recover my life. I recovered the power of my yes.
Matthew writes that Jesus said:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.” (Matt 11:28 MSG)
Yes isn’t a cheap word that you can put the words “just say” in front of. It’s sacred and holy, and it’s time we began to treat it as such again.
Written by Liz Milani
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LOVE YOU MUM. You're the best. xoxo