Naming the No

The Year of No is predicated on the idea that you can only overcome the temptation you are faced with right now. You can’t resist the sins and temptations that are going to face you in six months. You can’t tackle your entire entitlement-mountain today, but you can take one step in the right direction. You can say “No” to what’s tempting you right now.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” In my experience, the way out is simply to say, “No.” Granted, this isn’t always easy. We are tempted by things we desire, and most of us are not used to denying ourselves what we desire. We want what we want, and our culture has taught us that self-indulgence is not simply normative, but a moral good. I’m convinced that this is destructive, both to our souls and to our society, and the only way to right the wrongs of self-indulgence is through self-denial. As I wrote last year, small acts of self-denial make room for larger acts of God’s kingdom.

Now it’s time to focus. Just as you can’t overcome today the sin you’ll be tempted by in the future, you can’t tackle every issue in your life all at once. You need to narrow the scope. There are a lot of areas in my life where I want to grow, but I can’t deal with them all at the same time. I need to focus on a few problem areas in order to experience real victory in my life. This means naming the two or three things you want to work on saying “No” to this year. The first step of self-denial is naming that which you feel entitled to or the sins to which you regularly succumb. As I said in the original Year of No post, “clarity is the first step toward victory.” We can only overcome that which we clearly and continually name.

What are two or three of the things that are holding you back from becoming the person God is calling you to be? Before you answer that question, remember this: More often than not, these things might seem petty or even silly. Don’t let the devil trivialize the things that are destroying your soul. Indulging in coffee or chocolate might seem like a silly struggle, but if it’s damaging your soul then it’s not silly – it’s insidious. It’s evil. And it’s thriving in the darkness of pettiness. By naming this sin or entitlement, you are not just bringing it into the light, but you are also giving it the spiritual weight it deserves.

Now, back to that question. What are two or three of the things that are holding you back from becoming the person God is calling you to be? Here are some of mine:

1. Eating out and drinking pop. This is an anchor to my physical and financial health, and it’s time to cut the cord.
2. Indulging in distractions on my iPhone, including games, Facebook, and Twitter. These are time wasters, and I have far more important things to do, like writing my book! If I want to accomplish great things this year, I can’t be spending hours and hours every day on these distractions.
3. Saying “Yes” to laziness and procrastination. This goes along with number two. Too often, when something important comes to mind I put it off and never actually get around to it. But God wants to do to much with me for me to be lazy and put things off.

These are the three things I’m going to work on saying “No” to this year. They may not seem like big deals to you, but they are to me. These are the things that keep me mired in mediocrity, and I’m tired of being mediocre. What about you? What are the two or three things that are holding you back? Take out a piece of paper and write them down. Put them somewhere that you’ll be reminded every day. Keep them at the front of your mind so that, in the moment of temptation, you’ll be able to say “No.” And when you experience a victory, share it on social media with the hashtag #yearofno so we can all be encouraged by you!