Remember when I wrote about how I Said No two weeks ago?

Guess what?

A few days later, my friend told me she knew another family that had been considering getting a dog. They weren’t sure how adding a fur-baby would work with their children. By dog sitting for my friend, this family was able to get a trial run before committing.

It wasn’t my mission to help my friend this time. If I had said yes, I would have snatched the opportunity away from someone else better suited for this assignment.

My friend Kristine Brown from More Than Yourself recently published an insightful article with Christianity Today about How to Make Confident Decisions. In it she referenced King David’s desire to build a temple in Jerusalem.

Yes, this was a good thing.

Yes, it was God-pleasing.

Yes, it would benefit the entire Jewish community.

Yes, a senior advisor encouraged him to proceed with his plan.

But God had this task in mind for somebody else - David’s son, Solomon. (2 Samuel 7)

When you’ve prayed over a decision and still can’t find peace, consider that perhaps this isn’t your mission.

None of us is here to please people with our words or our actions (Galatians 1:10) and if our yeses are minimizing the time we spend pleasing God, we’ll end up failing everybody.

I never want to be the one who steals a God-appointed opportunity from someone else. That may occasionally mean saying no to helping a friend.

As a people pleaser this troubles me, but I find peace knowing that this mission was meant for somebody else.

Only God.

Only He could have orchestrated a situation that so completely absolved me of any guilt I felt over not helping by revealing His more perfect plan.

God has prepared good works (Ephesians 2:10) for all His children to accomplish for His glory. But not every good work is my mission.

And they aren’t all meant for you either.

Sometimes this takes experience and wisdom to flesh out.

For several years I thought I should volunteer to be a Sunday school teacher - I just didn’t have time while I was a Soldier. But the first Sunday after leaving the service when the call went out for people to take on a class, I boldly scribbled my name on the sign up sheet.

And entered one of the most stressful 9 months of my life.

Teaching Sunday school to second and third graders was not my mission. It was a good, God-pleasing, need filling mission. It just wasn’t for me.

Last year when I was approached to take on a similar role, I politely declined without a hint of regret. And the job was filled by an amazing woman who finds great joy in serving the children of our congregation.

Letting go, allowed me time and space to take on what God has actually prepared for me.

Saying no, allowed Him to reveal His even more perfect plan that ultimately brings more glory to His name.

That doesn’t mean God won’t occasionally give us some tough assignments to stretch and grow us or shift our priorities. But those will be accompanied by a full measure of His peace and strength.

We find our missions where our availability and gifts intersect a need.

Leave the rest to those chosen by God to accomplish them. In fact, let’s commit to praying for the person who will tackle those tasks as we let go of any guilt over not taking on a mission that wasn’t assigned to us.

Dear Father, Help me to be both a part of and a witness to your most perfect plan for loving Your people. Give me wisdom and discernment when I’m faced with opportunities to be Your hands and feet in this world. Fill me with strength and power to accomplish Your will and help me to recognize when I’m presented with an opportunity to serve that You have prepared for someone else. Help me to be a good steward of all Your gifts to me. Amen.

For we are God’s masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,

So we can do the good things

He planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

For more encouragement please join the discussions on these fabulous blog link ups - Suzanne Eller, Thought Provoking Thursday, Susan B. Mead, Faith Filled Friday, Faith and Fellowship Friday, Grace and Truth Friday, Still Saturday, Good Morning Monday, Soul Survival, Monday Musings, Rah Rah Link Up, Tell His Story, Woman to Woman Wednesday, Women With Intention Wednesday.