When God Says No
“Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
‘This is the way you should go,’
whether to the right or to the left.”
It was the perfect house.
My husband and I always dreamed of living in a historic home in Old Town, close to restaurants, shops, and interesting places to explore. Now that our girls were grown, our home in the suburbs was less appealing. We no longer needed so much space or proximity to our excellent school district. More and more of our weekends involved looking at smaller homes along the city streets we longed to wander. We searched online, visited open houses, and identified our must-haves and non-negotiables as we narrowed our choices. Finally, we found a house we liked and made an offer.
And then we received our first no.
A few months later, we found a second home we loved, this one even better. So that was why the first house fell through. This was the right house!
And then we received our second no.
We were confused, and we prayed for direction. We had engaged wise counsel from an agent with years of experience. We were making generous offers in a timely manner. We were doing our homework and staying on top of the market. Yet we lost these houses for reasons that made no sense. In each case, another buyer was chosen by the seller, and we were told no even when our offer was better. We resolved to wait and see, praying we would know when the time was right.
A month after we received the second no, through a series of incredibly unusual circumstances, the same house became available again. And this time we were the only ones in the game. If we wanted the house, it was ours. This time, the seller said yes.
Then we received our third no, only this time the no came from a different source.
Over the course of several sleepless nights and lengthy conversations, my husband and I became aware of a nagging sense of unease at the prospect of closing the deal. Something just wasn’t right. We were sensing an invisible hand at work, blocking our ability to confidently sign the final paperwork that would make this house our new home. Although we loved this house, now that the decision was ours alone, we just couldn’t seem to make the final commitment. Throughout the process, we prayed for God’s guidance, direction, and blessing on this decision, and this time the no was coming from deep within our spirits. This time it felt as if the no was coming from God.
Although we don’t know the end of the story, we trust God does. We still don’t fully understand why we got the answer we did. While we may have confused our own fear of change with the voice of God, the peace we feel since we made the decision to stay in our current home leads us to believe we heard correctly. As people of faith, we believe God cares about the details of our lives. We believe God is not only interested, but has an opinion on the choices we make. God sees the big picture of our lives in ways we cannot. When we seek his direction, he is willing and able to point us to the path where our greatest good can be found. While I don’t always understand or agree with the times God says no, I firmly believe his redirection is for our protection, our growth, and, ultimately, our good.
Abba Father, we thank you for your Spirit of wisdom and revelation. We are so grateful that you speak to us by your indwelling Spirit, and we ask to be sensitive to your leading, guidance, and direction at all times. When we sense a stop sign on our path, help us discern the difference between the self-limiting voices of our own fear and your perfect voice of caution and redirection. We know it is only through a daily walk with you that we learn the sound of your voice—the voice that calls us to a life of service, meaning, and purpose. We love you, Lord. Amen.
Scripture for Reflection
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Reach for More
This week’s challenge is to look back over your life and remember the places God said no. In hindsight, can you see how God ultimately turned your no into a better yes? Were there times you heard God calling you toward a yes and you chose to say no? How did these experiences change the way you make decisions? Please come back and leave a comment telling us about what you discover, how you are changed, how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.
is an author, speaker, and life coach with a passion for helping people live lives of courage, compassion, and connection. She is the author of Being Brave: A 40 Day Journey to the Life God Dreams for You. She leads a weekly Bible study at The Lamb Center, a day shelter for homeless and poor individuals, where she also serves on the Board of Directors. She and her husband, Steve, are the proud parents of two young adult daughters, Alexandra and Brooke. You can connect with Kelly at kellyiveyjohnson.com.
Photograph © Edward Militaru, used with permission
