Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
1 Corinthians 16:12 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, give me Your wisdom and guidance to know when to say no and Your peace when I finally do just that. I am constantly bombarded by the needs of those around me. Over the course of this day I know that there will be requests made to me to make myself available to lean in and help, to minister to the physical, mental and emotional needs of others. I can’t drive down the street without seeing some stranger on the side of the road requesting aid. And my love for You and my love for those You have created often prods my conscience, telling me I have to do something. And when I don’t, I feel like I have let You down and have failed in my calling as Your child.
Lord, I pray for strength of conviction to say no when I am being asked to do something I am not compelled by You to do regardless of who is asking. I pray that You would grant me peace in the decision, reminding me that it is not just alright but it is often Your will for me to lovingly say I can’t. When I’m feeling the pressure, remind me that if Apollos could be quite unwilling to go someplace where Paul was strongly urging him that I can do the same. Remind me that I may be getting in the way of the work You are doing when I assert myself where You have not called me in the moment to be.
Master, I know that You have not called me to save the world. You have done that all by Yourself. Nor have You called me to be “god” and meet their needs. You are God all by Yourself and have got that totally under control. Instead, You have called me to point them to You. And You have determined how You want me to do that. For sure, one person sows and another waters but You bring the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). Clear in this is that it was not and is not your intention that we be all to anyone. I need to embrace that and lovingly and compassionately decline.
Open my eyes and ears so that I can see what You are doing and hear Your direction. But more importantly, continue to remind me to ask You for Your will in the circumstance, and grant me godly courage and resolve to do what You are calling me to do in the moment, even and especially if it goes against what my heart desires to do. Then I know that my acts of love will be pleasing to You and interfere with what You are doing in me and through me, all to Your glory. Amen.