Saying No

“Sometimes you have to yell something to make every part of you hear it. If you speak softly, what you say seems to carry no weight, even with yourself.”

Roberts Liardon in his book Learning to Say No Without Feeling Guilty.

James 4:7 says “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Sometimes however we only offer token resistance and still expect the devil to get to stepping. Other times we push him away yet leave him within arms reach. Inevitably we find ourselves victims of such situations and shame and regret usually follow (thus speaks the voice of experience).

What Mr. Liardon taught me in his book is that an emphatic no, even to myself will go a long way. So the next time that old devil comes around don’t push him off with a half-hearted giggle and a tickle. Let your no resound within him so that he knows he must flee; let that no rise up from your spirit and echo with authority over every foreign yes that seeks to be heard.

This may take some practice so say with me: no, No, NO!