You probably think I have lost my mind, but you will not get an amen here. Let me explain myself. Amen means “so be it” or “it is so”. In other words, it means I agree. I don’t know about you but sometimes when I’m in church my mind wanders. I can’t be the only one. It’s hard to block out all the cares of life and just be present. When we let our problems steal our time with God, we can miss something pivotal in the message. Have you ever just said amen because the speaker either paused, ended a sentence, or you just weren’t listening? What if the preacher just said “Chicken is Lord!” and you chimed in with a hearty amen? It probably sounds really harmless, but it got me to thinking.
How many times have you agreed with people when you shouldn’t have? What were the consequences? Why did you do it? And tell me, what did you do next? Whether you are listening to a sermon or talking to your best friend, there are 5 times when you should withhold your amen!
- When they say you will never amount to anything. Some folks let these words roll off their tongues like butter, but that doesn’t mean it’s gold! God has a plan for your life and that means folks can’t limit you!
- When they say you aren’t good enough. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God! He loved you enough to send his Son to the cross! That means you are valuable!
- When they say God can’t use you. Well it’s clear they don’t know how God works. He doesn’t use the perfect, He perfects whom He uses!
- When they say you will always be in this place. God is the author of our faith and as long as you’re breathing, that means your story ain’t over!
- When they is YOU!
That last one is my favorite. It isn’t always other people trying to pull you down. Sometimes the negativity you hear comes from your own mouth. And the worst part is not that you said it, but that you agreed with it! You may have been repeating something you heard or just thinking aloud. However, what you do next, can change everything. Don’t allow yourself to agree! The consequence of agreeing is that you train yourself to be stagnate. Your words have so much power that they can actually hold you captive. When you say you aren’t good enough or that you can’t attain your dreams, you stop any forward progress. You become comfortable with mediocrity and lackadaisical about your future. An another consequence of agreeing with a poor self assessment is that you train people how to treat you. Does this mean positivity will make everyone nice to you? No, but it will let people know that their opinion isn’t your gospel, and they are powerless to tear you down.
So the next time your mind wanders or there’s a pause in your life, withhold your amen!
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Strengthen. Heal. Empower.
Image Credit: Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo
