by Tim Hall

"If the Lord really loved me . . ." So begins a statement people sometimes make in response to bad things that come into their lives. From their perspective, the Lord ought to level the path before them. The presence of obstacles, however, means that the Lord said "No" to their happiness (they think). If He really loved them, shouldn't His answer always be "Yes"?

Mark recorded incidents in which Jesus did not grant what others requested. Considering those instances should give insights into why the Lord sometimes says "No".

A man of the country of the Gadarenes had been horribly enslaved by a legion of demons. Jesus blessed this man by casting out the demons, thus restoring his ability to lead a normal life. As Jesus prepared to leave, the former demoniac "begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him . . ." (Mark 5:18,19, NKJV). Why not? What could it hurt to allow this man who had been so stigmatized by his neighbors to leave those hateful people and travel with Jesus? But, no, the Lord would not permit it.

Jesus' reason for denying his request is given: "'Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.' And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled" (Mark 5:19,20). If Jesus had approved the former demoniac's request, many others would not have heard the good news about Jesus. Jesus had a higher good in mind, and that was accomplished by saying "No".

In chapter 6, Mark told how Jesus sent out the twelve to preach the good news of the kingdom. When Mark notes that "He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts . . ." (v. 8), it was another instance of the Lord saying "No". To these disciples, the Lord's plan may have seemed unreasonable. "Lord, this will be a hardship. Why can't we take a little money for emergencies?" Yet the Lord was clear in His directions, and they set out on their journeys with virtually nothing in hand.

Why would the Lord refuse a reasonable request for these men to carry provisions on their journeys? The answer is found in Luke 22:35: "And [Jesus] said to them, 'When I sent you without money bag, sack, and sandals, did you lack anything?' So they said, 'Nothing.'" Obviously Jesus was teaching His apostles a lesson. They learned through this experience that God would provide all they needed as long as they kept their focus on the kingdom. By saying "No", Jesus was pointing to a higher good.

A favorite verse of many is Psalm 84:11: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." What we must understand is that the "good thing" is determined from God's long-range perspective. My temporary discomforts and deprivations may actually be working for me a much greater good. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," affirmed Paul (2 Corinthians 4:17).

When the Lord says "No", we should learn to give thanks to Him. We are confident He sees something better for us than what we have requested.