When I was growing up, I watched my mother have a hand in nearly every type of ministry or committee or group at church. Often times I was voluntold to help out too. We made floats for parades, Christmas plays–we did all and I played a part in the show too. She brought people home to disciple and teach them the Bible. I can go on and on.
I went to Bible college and then we made went on to head ministries and groups at our church where we were heavily involved in everything and I said yes to things I didn’t actually feel led to say yes to, but felt some pressure and also this thing called GUILT.
I should help everywhere and anywhere because it’s the right thing to do and no one else will step up. Meanwhile I was heading the Women’s Ministry where everything gets dumped whether or not it should be women’s ministry. I was the only one teaching a women’s bible study. I taught Wednesday nights for first grade girls and we pastored the young adults. To say I was worn out was an understatement not to mention my month in the nursery or a few times when someone called in or didn’t show.
By the time I hit my early forties maybe late 30s, I finally realized I didn’t have to say YES to everything that was asked of me. I didn’t have to feel guilty for saying no or not volunteering for everything.
Friend, that was freeing. It freed me up to do what I know God led me to, confirmed and gave me strength for. And it also forced those who sat and soaked in pews doing absolutely nothing the conviction to do something.
God will lead you and it won’t always be what you think. You don’t want to be in preschool but God says “Yep.” And so you do and you find that you actually love it. But it wasn’t on your radar.
That happened to me at the church we’ve attended for about 5 years. I wasn’t sure where I fit. What I did at our former church, there was no opportunity for me to do that–and I didn’t feel like I was supposed to. So I did nothing–for a short time.
Then I started feeling that familiar itch to teach. But where? I wasn’t needed And yet it was growing. One Sunday, a young woman came up to me and said, “I’m going to be going to the new church plant and I felt led to ask you if you’d like to teach the Youth SS girls class.”
I didn’t have to pray about it because God had already been planting it and confirming it in my heart so I said, “YES!” on the spot. The ONE ministry I’d never worked in was YOUTH. For over 25 years at our former church–I never worked in the Youth. Never thought I would at our present church either. And yet… I’ve been doing it now for three years I think? I can’t remember. Maybe more.
But I’ve also said “NO.” to a few things when asked. And you know what? I don’t feel bad or guilty for it. I’m doing exactly what he’s asked me to. Now does that mean I can’t bring a casserole or bake a dish for a new mom? No. Of course not.
And you shouldn’t either.
Be active in your local body. Be active outside the walls of the church–even more!
But don’t feel guilty for saying no to things when you’re actively doing other things to serve in your church.
No is a sentence all by itself. You don’t need an explanation behind it. It stands on its own.
“Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people…” Ephesians 6:7
Willingly. Not out of guilt of self-guilt.
