When God Says No
Can you imagine how Adam and Eve must have felt after living in the Garden of Eden where they thought they would live forever when God told them they were going to die because they had sinned? Can you imagine how Moses must have felt when he thought God was going to use him to free the Israelites at the age of forty but had to wait forty MORE years before he heard God’s voice again or how Hannah must have felt wanting so desperately to have a child but “THE LORD HAD CLOSED HER WOMB.” (1 Sam. 1:5) Because you and I can look back, we know the rest of their stories but still we wonder if God knows ours and what’s best for us sometimes.
I lived for ten years in the pit of depression hearing God say no to me every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year throughout all ten of them when I was begging him to release me. I couldn’t figure out why on earth I was in the bottom of a pit when I knew I had so much more to offer. I heard nothing but no to every question I asked and wondered why I was even asking. Had he forgotten me? Had he made a mistake? Was he listening? What on earth was he thinking? When I came out at the age of thirty nine I was a different person from when I went in. God taught me many lessons while there; these three I consider the greatest when it comes to accepting God’s answers, regardless. When God chose Solomon instead of his father to build the temple, David shows us what fleshing them out looks like.
NUMBER ONE – God is in control. His timing is perfect. And he’s never made a mistake – three facts that can’t be separated.
In 2 Samuel verses 9 and 12 we read what God said to David right before he told him Solomon, his son, would build the temple. “I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth.” …. “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” In other words I know you want to build the temple but I have another plan.
“I have been…and I have cut off” (in control) and “NOW” (his timing is perfect) and “I’m going to make your name great.” (He’s never made a mistake.)
Regardless of the situation, reminding myself of these three indisputable truths has enabled me to accept God’s answers, especially the ones I disagree with -- the ones that say “No” – “Not now” – “Wait.” They give me reassurance to trust him.
NUMBER TWO – When God says NO he has a better answer.
In 2 Chronicles 6:8, 9 we learn how God felt about David having the desire. “But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless …” God told David he did well to have the desire in his heart, just like God may feel about your desire also. A door closes. You find yourself going in an entirely different direction than where you thought you were going. God changes your plans. “You did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless…”
Luke records what Jesus prayed in the garden right before his trial. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22: 42 ( KJV) The word nevertheless is so significant. God’s answers are NEVER – THE – LESS than ours; they are MORE than ours – immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. If God had “removed the cup” where would you and I be?
NUMBER THREE – The problem with a NO answer is not in the
answer but in my response to it.
What David did after God gave him the news that Solomon would build the temple is astounding; it reflects his submissive heart. David says in 1 Chronicles 22:5, “’My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.’ So David made extensive preparations before his death.’” Did you get that? Even though God told David “NO” he helped the person God said “YES” to. He didn’t envy him. He didn’t ignore him. He totally submitted to God’s decision and made it work – what submission looks like.
Isaiah 55:8, 9 tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I used to think that God’s ways were just different than mine; I never considered they might be completely opposite; today I do. When I was in my thirties I wanted to write but God opened doors for me to speak. Now that I’m in my fifties I want to speak but God is opening doors for me to write. Last month the pulmonologist told me not to talk for a month and I’m a teacher and public speaker. In that same month God allowed the hands of a 38 year old massage therapist, just starting his own business, to be burned when a water heater blew up in his face. Did I understand what God was thinking? No I didn’t. But learning these lessons helped me give God the glory anyway.
Is doing this easy when you’re young? Not as easy as it is when you’re older. Moses asked God in Exodus 33:19, 20 to “show me your glory.” God replied by saying “I will put you in the cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back.” We can only see God when he has passed in front of us, not when we are in front of him. Faith is believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse. We must look at his back to see his hand.
I lived for ten years in the pit of depression hearing God say no to me every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year throughout all ten of them when I was begging him to release me. I couldn’t figure out why on earth I was in the bottom of a pit when I knew I had so much more to offer. I heard nothing but no to every question I asked and wondered why I was even asking. Had he forgotten me? Had he made a mistake? Was he listening? What on earth was he thinking? When I came out at the age of thirty nine I was a different person from when I went in. God taught me many lessons while there; these three I consider the greatest when it comes to accepting God’s answers, regardless. When God chose Solomon instead of his father to build the temple, David shows us what fleshing them out looks like.
NUMBER ONE – God is in control. His timing is perfect. And he’s never made a mistake – three facts that can’t be separated.
In 2 Samuel verses 9 and 12 we read what God said to David right before he told him Solomon, his son, would build the temple. “I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth.” …. “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” In other words I know you want to build the temple but I have another plan.
“I have been…and I have cut off” (in control) and “NOW” (his timing is perfect) and “I’m going to make your name great.” (He’s never made a mistake.)
Regardless of the situation, reminding myself of these three indisputable truths has enabled me to accept God’s answers, especially the ones I disagree with -- the ones that say “No” – “Not now” – “Wait.” They give me reassurance to trust him.
NUMBER TWO – When God says NO he has a better answer.
In 2 Chronicles 6:8, 9 we learn how God felt about David having the desire. “But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless …” God told David he did well to have the desire in his heart, just like God may feel about your desire also. A door closes. You find yourself going in an entirely different direction than where you thought you were going. God changes your plans. “You did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless…”
Luke records what Jesus prayed in the garden right before his trial. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22: 42 ( KJV) The word nevertheless is so significant. God’s answers are NEVER – THE – LESS than ours; they are MORE than ours – immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. If God had “removed the cup” where would you and I be?
NUMBER THREE – The problem with a NO answer is not in the
answer but in my response to it.
What David did after God gave him the news that Solomon would build the temple is astounding; it reflects his submissive heart. David says in 1 Chronicles 22:5, “’My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.’ So David made extensive preparations before his death.’” Did you get that? Even though God told David “NO” he helped the person God said “YES” to. He didn’t envy him. He didn’t ignore him. He totally submitted to God’s decision and made it work – what submission looks like.
Isaiah 55:8, 9 tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I used to think that God’s ways were just different than mine; I never considered they might be completely opposite; today I do. When I was in my thirties I wanted to write but God opened doors for me to speak. Now that I’m in my fifties I want to speak but God is opening doors for me to write. Last month the pulmonologist told me not to talk for a month and I’m a teacher and public speaker. In that same month God allowed the hands of a 38 year old massage therapist, just starting his own business, to be burned when a water heater blew up in his face. Did I understand what God was thinking? No I didn’t. But learning these lessons helped me give God the glory anyway.
Is doing this easy when you’re young? Not as easy as it is when you’re older. Moses asked God in Exodus 33:19, 20 to “show me your glory.” God replied by saying “I will put you in the cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back.” We can only see God when he has passed in front of us, not when we are in front of him. Faith is believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse. We must look at his back to see his hand.
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