Edie Melson Shares the Best Excuse for Saying “NO”

By Edie Melson @ediemelson in the Summer 2019 issue of Leading Hearts Magazine

No, not no to God. But in my years of ministry, I’ve discovered the need to safeguard my time and energy. I’ve also come to realize that can’t be done without learning how to say no.

We all only have so much time in a day. And if you’re like me, life is filled to overflowing. So that means constantly guarding our priorities.

There are a couple of areas where I’ve had to develop discipline in this regard.

NO to the Good Things to Leave Room for the God Things

I’m bad about seeing a need and equating that with a call to serve. The truth is, God doesn’t call me to fill every ministry hole. He has specific things He wants me to do at specific times in my life.

If I say yes to every opportunity I come across, then God can’t use me in the ways He has planned.

To help me evaluate what to become involved with, I’ve developed a few steps I go through before I say yes.

I pray over the opportunity.

I’m a yes-girl to the core and a card-carrying people pleaser. By acknowledging that, I can put safeguards in place to help me stay on track.

I run the opportunity through my mission statement.

By developing a clear statement of what God is calling me to, I’ve put in place a filter. It helps me focus on the calling God has placed on my life.

If there are any doubts after steps 1 and 2, I get wise counsel.

I have a team of prayer warriors who pray for me and my ministry. Because they talk to God on my behalf, they also offer good insight and clarity when I’m unsure.

NO to the Time Wasters

This is where the discipline comes in for me. I’ve discovered that as valuable as social media is for ministry, it’s also a huge time sinkhole. I can become mired on my favorite networks and waste several hours in one sitting.

I am NOT saying we shouldn’t engage on social media — quite the contrary. I believe that God created me for this specific place and time, and that includes social media. It excites me to see the worldwide reach I have through these networks.

However, that doesn’t mean I can’t get off-track when I’m online.

To help me remain in control of my schedule, these are some things I do.

I pray before I go online.

Just like I practice prayer walking before I speak or visit a place for ministry, I do a mental prayer walk before I venture onto the streets of social media.

I set a timer when I go online.

I can get lost in social media and on the World Wide Web. Setting a timer helps with keeping me focused.

I evaluate what posts to engage with.

There are some people out there who seem to delight in stirring up trouble pursuing fruitless arguments. I’ve learned not to get drawn into things that God doesn’t call me to.

I’m always amazed at the things God does when I yield my life to Him, and this holds true when I turn my schedule over to Him.

With these guidelines firmly in place, I am free to follow God into the places He has for me and enjoy the peace that comes with His balance.

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