Often Opportunities Come Disguised as Obligations

One day Moses was minding his own business when he saw something that caught his eye. It piqued his curiosity so that he went over to see what it was. In the midst of a bush that appeared to be burning but wasn't consumed was the presence of God. God told Moses what he must do to lead his people out of Egypt. Moses resisted.

Here was a great opportunity for Moses. He could be the leader of his people. It was something God had prepared for him since birth. He could give his people relief but Moses saw this as an obligation that he didn't want to fulfill. He didn't even think he could fulfill it. He almost let the opportunity go by. Of course, he didn't and became one of the more influential leaders of all time.

We pass up lots of opportunities because they look like obligations. We pass up serving in church because we don't want to be tied down each Sunday. We pass up taking our sons fishing because it takes an effort out of us. We pass up taking our daughters to a movie because it isn't a movie we particularly want to see. We pass them up and regret our decisions later in life.

Opportunities are often inconvenient. They take us out of our routine. They take more effort than doing what we have always been doing. They take some risks because they don't have guaranteed returns. Sometimes we are so protective of our time and energies we miss the best parts of our lives.

You can't really identify a true opportunity until you have committed to it. The things that appear to be opportunities may be burdens. Retrospect is the best way to identify a true opportunity.

How do you know the difference? You do what is presented before you as you seek whether or not God has placed this opportunity in front of you. You must look at what you have been given. Most things have a shelf life. The opportunity comes and goes. It seldom returns.

Selfishness is a great way to lose an opportunity. Opportunities cost something. They will take your time, money or energies. You will never meet an opportunity that won't cost. Giving is truly the best way of seizing an opportunity.

Today will present opportunities for you. God will place them in your path. Will you accept them and be grateful that you did or will you pass them by and never know them as opportunities?

The choice is yours.