For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you … was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God …. (2Co 1:19-20)
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It is very hard to say “No,” despite the fact that we say it all the time. The reason “No” is so hard is that it has no energy. Not doing something is an emptiness and carries no weight. It creates a vacuum that waits to be filled.
In observing my own life, I have become aware that I spend a lot of time saying “No.” There are things I don’t want to see, so I have to say “No” to them…things I don’t want to hear…things I don’t want to say or do or think…all to be met with “No.” A day spent in such wrestling is exhausting in the extreme. It is also frequently a path to failure. “No” has no energy and it places the will in a position of weakness. The will was created to will something, not nothing.
St. Paul’s observation that the promises of God are “Yes,” is a key to the daily struggle. The absence of sin isn’t the same thing as righteousness. Righteousness is a fullness and a presence. Sin itself is an emptiness and has the character of non-being. The spiritual life is fulfilled in righteousness – true rightness of being – living in the image of God.
A simple way of living this reality is to say “Yes.” If I do not want to do one thing, then to what do I say “Yes?” If I do not want to hear something, to what do my ears say “Yes?” And so forth.
And there is another step beyond. It is possible to say “Yes” repeatedly throughout the day. The simple phrase, “I say “Yes” to God,” carries a great deal of power. I have learned to make it a frequent confession in my day. I say “Yes” to God. I say “Yes” to my life. I say “Yes” to this problem. I say “Yes” to the mistakes I have made. It is a means of affirming that God is working all things together for my good – even my mistakes.
Say Yes.
