If the Entire World Says NO...

Have you ever had a great idea, or felt led to do something out of the ordinary, that gets you really excited? You know, something that truly makes your heart soar? You mull it over, doubt yourself, pump yourself back up, mull it over again, doubt yourself again, pump yourself up again, and then you share it. Palms sweaty, voice uneasy. You share the idea with someone ... and they tell you that it can't be done. The oxygen leaves the room. You're deflated. If we're honest, we've all been there. You may have even tried to convince yourself that it can't be done.

Some people can move past the comment of "it can't be done" and some people cannot. I want to encourage you to do what you're called to do no matter how different it looks to others. We are unique, and we're all called to do things according to our individual strengths. If we always agreed then everyone would have the same hair style, live in the same style of house painted with the same colors, wear the same clothes, drive the same car ... you get the point. We're different. That's what makes us amazing. We have different gifts to share with the world. Don't let someones negative comment steal your joy. A wise friend once told me that, "Many people will speak to you, but only a few will speak through you." Meaning, don't let negative talk penetrate your heart. The only thing that will penetrate deep into your heart is what YOU allow in. 

The following is an excerpt from my daily devotional and it speaks volumes. 

"As a young boy in school, Henry Ward Beecher learned a lesson in self-confidence that he never forgot. He was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, "No!" He started over and again the teacher thundered, "No!" Humiliated, Henry sat down.

The next boy rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, "No!" This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teachers responded, "Very good!"

Henry was irritated. "I recited just as he did," he complained to the teacher. But the instructor replied, "It is not enough to know your lesson; you must be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If the entire world says, 'No!' it is your business to say, 'Yes!' and prove it."

The world says, "No!" in a thousand ways. And each "No!" you hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit until you quit altogether. You just need to be bold enough to say "Yes!" when the world says "No!" God is for you, and with Him on your side you absolutely cannot lose."

-The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer

In case you didn't know: Henry Ward Beecher (June 1813 - March 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, and his emphasis on God's love. 

Next time you encounter a resounding "No!" I hope that you will respond with a "Yes!"