“But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’” – 1 Kings 8:18-19
How do you handle it when God says, “No”? God doesn’t exist to rubber-stamp the prayers and plans of His people. Sometimes He says, “No”. Even when we have the absolute best intentions to serve and glorify Him, He can still say, “No”. That’s exactly what God told King David. David wanted to build a magnificent temple for the Lord in Jerusalem. His intentions were pure and holy. He LOVED the Lord. God still told him, “No”.
God’s reasons are His own. His knowledge and wisdom are perfect and complete. His timing is also perfect. He understands “the big picture” in ways we never will. When He says, “No” it’s always for the best. But do we trust that when God says, “No”? Do you?
Being told “No” when all we want to do is please and glorify God can be disappointing, confusing, embarrassing, and frustrating. We seldom understand because we lack God’s perfect knowledge and timing. But can we accept His answer anyway? Can you be at peace about the matter when God says, “No”? Many Christians today are more interested in God’s approval than His timing. We want Him to say, “Yes” but remain determined to move forward no matter what He says. We assume we heard Him wrong. We struggle to accept “No” and halt our plans.
David shows how to properly handle God’s “No”. He wasn’t angry and didn’t plow ahead anyway. He accepted it even though he probably didn’t like it. He continued serving faithfully as he had been serving. He prepared things to make it easier for his son who would receive God’s, “Yes”. Praying, preparing, serving — that’s how to handle God’s “No” when you #FollowJesus