Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively. 2 Corinthians 6:11-12
“…God wants you to stay open and alert to opportunities to grow as a wife, mom, friend, worker, or all of the above.” This sentence nicely sums up the reflection. The opportunities that God surrounds us with are endless. What opportunities do you seek for spiritual growth? For me, this blog has been an opportunity to grow in my faith. It is one thing to read and reflect inward or to attend church and contemplate the homily/sermon, yet it’s another to actually verbalize those reflections and be open to feedback from others.
Contributing to this blog has also been an opportunity for me to strengthen my friendship with Heather. I’ve learned so much about her through her postings and have been guided by her thoughts and her relationship with Jesus. There have been so many instances that I have used her suggestions to strengthen my relationship with my husband or children.
This week I challenge you to be open to the opportunities that God puts in front of you each day. For example, my daughter slept in the other morning (because she was up half the night). Her extra time in bed provided me the opportunity for much needed one-on-one time with my son. It was such a treat for me (and for him) to have that time together. Instead of cleaning up the house or folding laundry, I took that time as an opportunity to give him my undivided attention.
The reflection also mentioned that we should look for an opportunity in everything we do. If you are stuck at a red light, look at that time as an opportunity to pray. If you or a friend received bad news, look at it as an opportunity to turn to God for strength and guidance during a difficult time. Each morning when you get out of bed and put your feet on the floor, get excited about the endless opportunities that wait for you.
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Aw, thanks, Jennifer! I feel the same way. It is so much easier to take advice from a friend that you trust instead of some random author. It is a great opportunity with this blog to do both, though!
ReplyDeleteOpportunities are everywhere to serve God's purpose in your life. If you ask, you will receive. Having a miscarriage was my most tragic moment, but I have been able to share my story with other women. And now coordinating the Angel Touch Ministry at my church is proving to be so rewarding. I still have moments that I long to hold my first child, so God did not replace that opportunity with another one. But He did give me a chance to use that longing for good and to continue to remember that child through listening to other women's experiences.
Sorry to get so deep. I just know that God puts us right where He wants us...if we only listen and obey!