William James said, "Compared to what we ought to be, most of us are half-awake?"
Half-awake, half-asleep...same thing. I love this quote and I think about it often. I'm a firm believer in that God presents opportunity to us and if we're not awake, we'll miss them.
Sometimes we're so busy with our own lives that we miss God-opportunities. Sometimes we're so busy messing up other people's lives that we miss God-opportunities. Sometimes we're just not spiritually tuned into what God is doing and we become totally disconnected so that everything God would do just flies right over our heads.
The danger in this is that a missed opportunity is just that, missed. You may never get it back again. How many God-op's have I missed because I wasn't aware? How many opportunities to help someone? How many opportunities have I let slip right through my hands because I was too busy with my own agenda? How many times have I failed others because I was so self-focused? Where has God tried to bless me but because I wasn't aware, I failed to recognize His hand in it?
God sends opportunities often so we must have our "spiritual antennas" up so that we will be able to detect what God is attempting to do through and for us. Don't miss out on what God wants to do for you and through you because you're not alert.
How do you become alert? Prayer! Pray, because when you're praying, you're alert and you're expecting God to move in your life. If you're not praying, then your spiritual antenna is not up!
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
I pray that God will lead you into greater and greater opportunities that will bring Glory and Honor to His name!
5 comments:
Great reminder! God has a sense of humor...as I sit rubbing the sleep from my eyes and reading your blog. I believe that being in tune with the HS and taking those God ops is critical. Taking the opportunities that He gives us to share His love and Word is the fullfillment of our ulitmate purpose in life in light of the G/C (Great commission)
And...
Satan just loves when we get ourselves wrapped up in egocentrism. It makes us useless and sucks life out of the church instead of pumping life in. Our spiritual disciplines must conquor our egocentrism.
In the words of Brian Jarrett and Dr. Larry Goodrich, "Your public ministry will never exceed your private prayer life!"
Anonymous,
Thanks for stopping by :)
You said, "In the words of Brian Jarrett and Dr. Larry Goodrich, "Your public ministry will never exceed your private prayer life!"
I love that! Great food for thought!
Understanding the context of the biblical story of Esther, I've recently had the words of Mordecai going through my head: "For if you remain silent at this time relief and deliverance will arise . . . from another place, and you and your father's house will perish forever. And who knows whether you have not attained [your position in life] for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)? This was in relation to her specific God op. But who's to say that the same principle doesn't apply to us all within our various contexts as well? Good thoughts, Shannon!
Colin,
Great addition to this with the reminder of the story of Esther. In recalling that story in my own mind, it took a great deal of risk, courage and uncertainty to do what she did. I think sometimes we fail to take risks for much of the same reasons but I've come to believe the greatest risk is taking no risk at all.
Paul,
I think many times we as Christians settle for what is good when God was offering what is great! Good can many times become the enemy of great when good is settle for and great is just a little deeper dig.
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