When the World Tells us NO.

Philippians 4:13 (New King James Version)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When Henry Ward Beecher was a young boy in school, he learned a lesson in self-confidence, which he never forgot. He was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, "No!" He started over and again the teacher thundered, "No!" Humiliated, Henry sat down.

The next boy rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, "No!" This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teacher responded, "Very good!"

Henry was irritated. "I recited just as he did," he complained to the teacher.

But the instructor replied, "It is not enough to know your lesson, you must be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If all the world says, `No!' It is your business to say, `Yes!' And prove it."

The world says, "No!" In a thousand ways:

"No! You can't do that."

"No! You are wrong."

"No! You are too old."

"No! You are too young."

"No! You are too weak."

"No! It will never work."

"No! You don't have the education."

"No! You don't have the background."

"No! You don't have the money."

"No! It can't be done."

Each "No!" You hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit until you quit altogether. Though the world says, "No!" To you today, will you determine to say, "Yes!" And prove it?

Dear Lord we pray that we would have the courage to keep going even when the world is shouting “No” to us. Thanks for the strength to keep going. In Jesus’ name, Amen.