No! For Our Own Good

Think about when you were younger and your parents said "no" to that toy you wanted at the store or "no" to staying up past your bedtime or "no" to having candy for breakfast. Not happy with the answer, most kids would probably kick, scream and cry in hopes of getting their way.

Now fast forward to present day and maybe you heard "no" to the job you interviewed for or maybe you heard "no" from the college you applied to or maybe you got a "no" to something you've been praying for.

"No" isn't a word we like to hear at any age especially when it's regarding something we want. But the reality also is that at some point or another, there are a number of ways we will be told "no" in life. And as much as we might want to throw a tantrum like a little kid, we know that's not an option.

Often time hearing "no" can sting and we are left feeling disappointed and rejected. However if we change our perspective, hearing "no" isn't always a bad thing. In fact, sometimes rejection can be a blessing in disguise.

Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We may not always understand it when it happens but know that inasmuch as God opens doors that no one can shut, He also shuts doors that no one can open. Just like a good parent, His plan is never to hurt us by saying "no." Instead, when He closes a door, it's to lead us to something much better - the open door He's had waiting for us all along.

#befabulous