Let Down | Saying No

Scripture Focus: Mark 1:35-39

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." (Mark 1:35-39, NIV)

Everyone is looking for you.

Those must have been powerful words for Jesus to hear. His ministry was taking off. People were coming from all over to hear him teach and to be healed. The crowds were growing. The demand for his time was increasing. And now his disciples were telling him that everyone was looking for him.

This would be any leader's dream, right? Most of us would see this as an opportunity we couldn't pass up. We'd cancel our plans, adjust our schedule, and give the people what they wanted. But that's not what Jesus did. 

Instead of rushing back to meet the demands of the crowd, Jesus said something surprising: "Let us go somewhere else." So, Jesus said no.

And he could do that because he had just spent time alone with his Father in prayer. Jesus knew what was truly important. He knew his mission. And he knew that staying busy meeting everyone's demands wasn't part of that mission.

This is a lesson we need to learn, especially during the Christmas season. We need to learn how to say no. Because we can't do everything. We can't attend every party we're invited to. We can't bake every type of cookie. We can't buy the perfect gift for every person on our list. We can't decorate every corner of our house. We can't meet every expectation that's placed on us. And the sooner we accept that reality, the better off we'll be.

But saying no is hard. Really hard. We worry about disappointing people. We worry about missing out. We worry about what others will think of us. We worry that if we say no to something, we're somehow failing.

But what if saying no to some things is the only way we can say yes to what matters most? Jesus understood that every yes to one thing is a no to something else. When Jesus said yes to the crowds in that one town, he would have been saying no to the villages that needed to hear the gospel. So Jesus had to make a choice. And he chose based on what his Father had called him to do, not based on what was most popular or what would make the most people happy.

We have to make the same kinds of choices. And the only way we can make them well is by doing what Jesus did...spending time with our Father, asking him what matters most, and having the courage to say no to everything else.

This doesn't mean we become selfish or uncaring. It doesn't mean we ignore the needs around us. But it does mean we recognize that we have limits. We can't be everything to everyone. And trying to be will only leave us exhausted, overwhelmed, and unable to do anything well.

So what does this look like practically? It means we stop saying yes to everything just because we're asked. It means we evaluate each opportunity and commitment based on what we're called to do, not just on what we're capable of doing. It means we protect time for what matters most – time with God, time with family, time to rest and recharge.

And it means we give ourselves permission to disappoint some people. Because the truth is, we're going to disappoint someone no matter what we do. So we might as well disappoint them while staying faithful to what God has called us to do rather than exhausting ourselves trying to please everyone.

Reflection Questions:

• What commitments or obligations are you carrying that you need to let go of?

• What makes it hard for you to say no? Fear of disappointing others? Fear of missing out?

• What would it look like to follow Jesus' example and prioritize time with God over meeting everyone's expectations?

Prayer: Jesus, teach us to say no. Give us the courage to set boundaries and protect what matters most. Help us to follow your example of spending time with the Father and letting that time guide our decisions. Free us from the need to please everyone and give us the wisdom to know what we should say yes to and what we should let go of. Help us to trust that you'll take care of the rest. Amen.