Faith – when God says, “NO”
I suspect, that the “bigger” lessons of life – you know? – the ones that we look back on when we are older - may actually have come from the “No’s” in life – that “forced” us, in one sense or another – into a “change mode” of sorts - the sort of “change” that asks the harder questions of life - and are about what we really-truly want – what we truly need – and what we are willing to live with or without – questions like, do I “settle” for this or do I “demand” something else? – - – Change that is about things like, what we are willing to do or not do, in order to remain happy, safe, content, satisfied, honest, open, forgiving, Godly, loyal, loving, concerned, caring, graceful, willing, peaceful, etc.
I suppose, there are very important lessons of faith – to be learned, when God says, “NO”
I mean, if my eyes of faith are open – when I am told “No” - I am suddenly faced with some of the most important lessons in life! – How do I respond? – - – and what about being told “No” is about to change me? Perhaps, we meet the very largest challenges of life - Learning, and Growing, and Becoming - right there! - in the moments when we are told ”NO” – Am I making any sense? And I know, I don’t tend to consider such “large questions” – when I am told “Yes” – either. 
Stay with me here…. :)
Consider for example, those of us who are living in homes with angelic young children. Well….Angels do come in a variety of “packages” – don’t they? 
But angels, none-the-less! I’ve recently been very close to some angels who are presently “packaged” with what seems to be a bit of – Attention Deficit and/or Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity. 
Maybe you are close to some angels packaged that way, too? Then again, I’m pretty sure most of us were packaged similarly at one time or another in our lives - and then, there are of course, angels packaged just the polar opposite, too - either way, parenting children, of most all sorts - requires a lot of “NO” saying! Doesn’t it? Yes! Tim, it does. And it requires a lot of patience and an awful lot of God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness, too! Parenting in general – requires a lot of that sort of thing.
Consider – looking down into the eyes of a child who is “so far away from you in their little mind” – that you can see it all over their face. Even though you have taken them by the hand and walked with them to the refrigerator door multiple times now, explaining clearly and succinctly – the reasons why they need to shut the door when they have retrieved their bottle of water, etc. 
Or, even after you have repeated over and over – their correct name and the consequences of their actions if they continue to walk away from you in the mall and how getting lost is a very scary and dangerous thing, for both of you. 
Or, even after you have knealt down, calmly – to reach out to them – eye-to-eye, as it were - turning their otherwise, misdirected gaze – back toward you – by physically touching their right cheek (your hand cupped around the bottom of their jaw) – gently moving their little face to gain eye contact with you again, as you try to explain, again,
“I said, NO.” “And NO means…..”
It seems, that some of the most important moments of life occur - in the “NO saying” – - – and when God, our Father is the parent saying, “No” – I suppose, we should find a way to pay attention to what He is trying to tell us. So very many of life’s most critical lessons of faith and otherwise – are found in the moments when Our Father is saying “No” – - – and He is looking down into the eyes of His children – who are “so far away from Him, in our little minds” – and it is written all over our faces.
I suppose, that while “NO” just isn’t a word we like to hear – “YES” just may be something we have grown too accoustomed to. Learning how to say “NO” and how to live with “NO” - are lessons we may have too often, ignored.
…. About a period of life’s moments in which God seemed to be saying, “NO” – the following was written….. and change occured…..
It was one of the most difficult seasons of life that I have ever experienced. And by all outward appearances things were fine. And if anyone asked, that’s what I told them.
I smiled at church, I smiled at playgroup. I smiled at Bible Study. And I smiled at the kid’s birthday parties. I smiled – for no good reason, that I could think of, at all!
Anyway, over time, I began to realize that what I had been expecting – was the easy “Yes” – of what I have come to recognize now, as “Christianity-lite”. I had thought, if I could grin and bear it long enough, you know? – then things would finally “go MY way”. I’m sure this is familiar in some way or another, to you. But the “fluffy sort of perspective” - on some pretty serious verses of scripture – in which God Himself was trying to tell me, “All you need is faith” - and you’ll get what you need and truly want. – “Just believe and the Lord will provide.” - “Ask and you shall receive.” just wasn’t getting through to me. You see? The truth was that – those “fluffy” voices were so far “off my grid” – by miles and miles – that God, my Father’s, resounding “No” – had my faith very, very confused.
So, I wrestled a long time with this new God, of my “No.” And finally and slowly – I discovered that His answer didn’t actually dismiss my loss at all and His “No” didn’t diminish my feelings! – it didn’t mean He didn’t love me! – it didn’t mean He wasn’t there! – Rather, as I began to see “NO”, in the context of His ability – not my own - and as I began to understand His will for my life, as a better choice - than my own – and in His patience and His repeated redirection, of my “misdirected gaze” – I began to respond to His answer – rather than ignore it.
And……He changed me!
Adapted from a devotion excerpt: by Lisa-Jo, The Gypsy Mama
For I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:11-13
When the answer is “No” – how do I live, with that? - – -
I suspect, that the “bigger” lessons of life – you know? – the ones that we look back on when we are older - may actually have come from the “No’s” in life – that “forced” us, in one sense or another – into a “change mode” of sorts - the sort of “change” that asks the harder questions of life - and are about what we really-truly want – what we truly need – and what we are willing to live with or without – questions like, do I “settle” for this or do I “demand” something else? – - – Change that is about things like, what we are willing to do or not do, in order to remain happy, safe, content, satisfied, honest, open, forgiving, Godly, loyal, loving, concerned, caring, graceful, willing, peaceful, etc.
I suppose, there are important lessons of faith – to be learned – when God says, “NO”.
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