The King of Opportunities
A word from the Lord that encouraged my heart
“ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ~ Revelation 3:8 (ESV)
FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out.
It’s a big deal in our culture. People chronicle their lives—not their actual lives but their lives as they want others to envy them—daily on social media. Constantly seeing what others are posting increases our discontent with our less exciting lives. If I’m honest, I also struggle with FOMO, but not the fear of missing out. Well, sort of, but not exactly.
Yesterday, Ben, our pastoral resident, preached at our worship service. At the end of his message, he called on us to ask God a simple question and then listen for thoughts God might bring to mind in answer. The question was, “God, how can I have more joy in you this week?” When I asked the question, this thought came almost immediately:
Stop believing the lie, the fear of missing opportunities. I am the King of opportunities.
I struggle with FOMO, but not necessarily the fear of missing out on thrilling experiences like skydiving—I’ve never wanted to do that. My fear of missing out is the fear of passing up or missing an opportunity. We see this kind of FOMO exploited by Black Friday marketing.
“Hurry up!” “Act now!” “Only 2 days left!” “Selling out!” “Low Stock!” “Order in the next 6 hours for guaranteed delivery before Christmas!” “Once-in-a-lifetime sale!”
It’s just a little sick. In Revelation 3:8, Jesus told the Christians in Philadelphia (the ancient Roman city) that he had placed an open door in front of them, a door that no one could shut. Wow! He gave them an opportunity, and nothing could take that opportunity away.
Here’s the lesson: If God has an open door for you, you can’t miss it. If an opportunity from the Lord comes today, but you don’t take it, he will bring it back again in his timing. If the opportunity is from God for you, he will make sure you see it again. It might not look the same or be precisely and exactly what it was the first time. But when God opens the door, no one can shut it!
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard, seize an opportunity, or be passive. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do long-term planning. It simply means the pressure is off. God’s got your back. He will take care of you. Don’t be afraid of missing opportunities. God knows both what you need and the desires of your heart. He is the King of opportunities. So, trust him.