When God says, “No.”

This past week has been quite a roller coaster of emotions in our house. This whole Sun Stand Still series at our church has got each of the people in my family praying and believing God for the impossible. It’s beautiful to see my kids and husband seeking God in a way we never had before. Not for self-gain, but to make a difference for God’s Kingdom through our generation.

Taylor, my oldest, was believing God for something big this week. And we had prayed together as a family that God would allow the impossible to be accomplished through her. She wanted to become the student director for the 5th grade school play. Taylor worked super hard on her entry letter and we have prayed each day that God would allow her to do this because it was truly a desire of Taylor’s.

On Tuesday, I was driving through carline and saw Taylor standing at the curb waiting for me to get her. The look on her face said it all…I didn’t even have to ask. She got into the car, buckled her seat-belt and said, “Well, I didn’t get student director.”

My heart sank.

I sat on the edge of my emotions while I waited to see where the conversation was going to go. But in her very mature-like fashion she said to me, “Mommy, I just know that this wasn’t what God wanted for me. And I have to know and believe that the reason He said no right now is because there’s something I don’t know about. Maybe God is protecting me. Maybe He has something better for me. So, I’ll be ok with God saying no.”

Y’all. I get tears in my eyes just writing that. Because at ten, she gets it.

I get kind of tired of people saying, “rejection is redirection.” Yes, it’s true but the fact is: rejection hurts. When you work so hard for something, pray like a juggernaut and believe with everything in you and it doesn’t happen…we would all be lying if we said it didn’t sting a little.

But God only saying yes isn’t what audacious faith is really about. Audacious faith is moving forward and believing even more through every not-now, not-yet, or even not-ever.

This misconceived notion that God only has great things for a few select people in this wold is ludicrous. It’s no where in the bible and its not the heart of God. Greatness is for everyone because we serve a God who is great.  He’s a winner and therefore only produces winners. There are no scrubs in the Kingdom of God.

The truth of the matter is though, we do need to find peace even in the most painful “No’s” God brings us.

I’m convinced that God telling us no about something has nothing to do with our lack of faith. After all, many of the miracles that Jesus performed were to people who had the least amount of faith. But Jesus didn’t just do miracles…he was the miracle. That is where our faith should hold ground -in who he is, not what he can do.

Because I’m sure you’d agree, God…can do anything.

Faith that moves mountains doesn’t start when the mountain is moving. It starts in the valley, when it all looks impossible. So when it looks like believing in God doesn’t work and we get discouraged we may have to do some sweeping in our hearts. Sweep out those doubts, fears and past failures. Sweep out those people who bring negativity to you. Sweep out the root of unbelief and shout out to God, “I”m here, I’m available, use me.”

Today I’m thinking no’s are not so much redirection as they are boundaries. God’s got a specific purpose for our lives and we may get out of those boundaries [even the good-looking ones] that keep us going in that direction from time to time. Rather than looking through each not-now, not-yet or, not-ever as our stoppable moment, think of them as the moments that define us to keep moving on towards the heart of God.

It’s ok to let our hearts sting with sadness and wonder…it is. But our confidence can never be in how unstoppable we think OUR faith is…our confidence is in how unstoppable our God is.

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. you need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” -Hebrews 10:35