I love hot coffee. I drink it every day. My daughter is the opposite of me. She loves iced coffee. Some like it hot. Some like it cold. It’s got to be one or the other because no one likes it lukewarm.
In my last post, I encouraged you to eliminate unprofitable and unproductive commitments in your life. I imagine that some of the unfruitful commitments in your life are because you are lukewarm in those commitments.
Jesus says:
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!” (Revelation 3:15, ESV)
So are you hot or are you cold? Are you in or are you out? If you want to be part of something, then embrace it. Invest yourself in it. If not, then get out!
But we don’t want to say no. At the same time, we are non-committal. We don’t want to be left out, but we don’t really want to get in.
I am reminded of Jesus words in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:37, ESV)
Sometimes we fail to say no because we fear disappointing others. Sometimes we fail to say no because of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Sometimes we fail to say no because it is hard to say no. The result is that we say “yes” because we don’t want to say “no.” It’s not that we want to say “yes” we just don’t want to say no.
We might have said yes, but our heart, passion, enthusiasm, and zeal are not in it. We go through the motions. We do what is expected. We do all the right things but for all the wrong reasons. Our schedules become overloaded with obligations we are only half-hearted about.
What are the half-hearted obligations that you might eliminate so that you can full-heartedly commit to the most important things in your life?
Love this analogy!! A great way to help “declutter” the mind and ones schedule while enabling the simplification of one’s life. It truly is an enabling exercise. It is not easy to say “No”. That being said, if you can’t be “all in” and committed, best step back. As the message states, no one likes lukewarm!!!
Perfect word thanks for sharing
I have caught myself not wanting to do something but afraid to say “No” but this has helped me to reconsider and if I am not fully committed then it is not right for me to say “Yes” if my heart isn’t in it.