Dear friend,
But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
I said yes to hosting a thing last month that I did not have room for. Not because I wanted to. Because saying no felt like handing someone a reason to be disappointed in me, and I would rather be tired than watch that happen. So I hosted it, resentful the whole week, and then felt guilty for being resentful about a thing I chose. That is the part that gets me every time. I make the choice and then blame the person for the choice I made.
This week I keep thinking about how learning to set boundaries shows up in small rooms, not big speeches. It is a text you do not answer at ten at night. It is saying I cannot, and stopping the sentence there instead of building an apology onto the end of it. I have never once regretted the short version.
I am not saying this is easy for you right now. I do not know what it is costing you to even consider it. What is the smallest no you have been avoiding?
A prayer
God, she is tired of explaining herself. Give her the words for one honest no this week, and let her rest instead of replaying it afterward. Amen.