You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. – Galatians 5:13
Everyone has the right to choose. It’s part of who we are and what we do. Having the right to say yes or no is something we all value. If someone takes it away, we fight to get it back. Making choices for ourselves is our God-given right.
When God created humans, he didn’t create robots. He wanted us to think for ourselves and to make our own choices. God loved us so much that even knowing how much it would hurt and disappoint him; he gave us the right to say no to Him.
As with any decision we make there are consequences. Whether it is a good choice or a bad one, we must learn to live with it. You may have the right to say no to God, but can you live with the aftermath?
Some people fail to understand or even see the results of saying no to God in the short term. They go on with their lives and fail to realise that their choice has long-term consequences. It is the long-term that God is concerned about. He doesn’t want us to suffer the result of us exercising our right to say no.
Saying no to God is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly but yet so many do. There are some like Job, who had good reason to reject God. He had the chance to use his right to say no but didn’t because he knew what the consequences would be. The same goes for us.
Before you use the right to say no, you should find out what the consequences are. For some, a major decision isn’t made until it has been thoroughly researched. Once we know enough about the pros and cons of the decision we are making are, we decide on the best choice. Choosing to say yes or no to God is the most important decision we will ever make. We should be fully aware of what will happen after we make the choice.
God, naturally wants us to say yes to Him but since He has given us a free will, we do have the right to say no. The same God also gave us the right to get angry at him and the right to love Him. The rights God has given you is the same rights he gave everybody else. You have the right to say no, but do you really want to use it?
The answer to this question is complexed. You can only speak for yourself, and you can’t (or shouldn’t) really be able to tell anybody else how to use their right to say no. Each time someone comes to the point of deciding to say yes or no to letting God into their life, it is up to them and not someone else.
We all have the right to say no to God but there are consequences. The question is can you live with the choice you make knowing what they are.
Originally published September 2019