The Cost of Saying ‘Yes’

Have you ever cried to the point that you felt your breath was going to cease? You’ve cried so much, your nose has run dry and it feels like life itself is slowly seeping away from your body. 

This was me almost 10 years ago. 

I had received a very heart-wrenching phone call. The job I desired with all my heart, the job that was meant to get me closer to my dreams, went away from my reach just like that. At the final stage. Oh, how I worked hard. How I prayed. How I hoped. Things were going smoothly, from the first stage to the next until I reached the final stage. This was it. I was sure of it. Everyone around me was optimistic. The big break was finally coming. Until that phone call. 

Oh, I cried…no I shed an ocean. My heart couldn’t contain the pain. God, why? What’s next? Where do I go from here? I wish I can tell you things got better immediately after but no. I moved from one disapointment to the next. It actually felt as if God was doing the opposite of what I prayed and asked for. 

It was hard to have faith but I had already said yes to Him. This was meant to be a life long commitment. Where was I to go? Who was I to run to but God?

I don’t really know how I got through that phase but God’s carried me through. It had to be Him because I had hit rock bottom. 

When I affirmed my commitment to Him, when I knew that without a doubt I had placed my hands on the plough and there was no turning back, no one told me about the cost of that bold ‘yes’. 

People often talk about the mighty blessings and rewards of serving God and following Him. Only few talk about the costs. Only few will tell you that you will go through tests and trials. You will face storms and like the disciples, you will wonder why God is sleeping through your pain. 

You will face betrayal. You will have doors shut in your face. Your plans will fall recklessly like a pack of cards. You will be deserted, insulted, laughed at and mocked. You will fight battles. You will fight for your faith. You will go through deep waters. Let me not even mention the wait; you will pray and you won’t immediately see the answers. And so while you wait, you will need to have faith and trust that God knows what He is doing. 

It’s not easy but do you know what? The cost of saying yes to God can never compare to the sacrifice He made for you. Jesus laid His life. He bore the sins of the entire world when He was sinless. He could have backed out but He didn’t because of His depth of love for us. 

When I think about how far God went just to redeem me, the cost of saying yes becomes insignificant. Why? Because nothing can ever compare with that selfless sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary. 

I have many questions. I want to know why I didn’t get that job almost a decade ago. I want to know why my path was filled with many bumps and mountains. Yes, I want to know but I trust God. I know He has a plan and that plan is better that any plan I can conceive in my mind for myself. 

Would I do it all over again knowing that cost? Would I say yes to Jesus? A million times yes! What can be greater than saying yes to the One who would move mountains just for me?

I pray that you will also say yes to this God. It’s unarguably the best decision you could ever make.