Have you missed an opportunity?

Sure God calls us to do stuff. But if we miss the memo, don’t listen, or simply ignore Him, will we have missed our only opportunity?

God invites

In the Bible there’s a girl named Esther. She’s minding her own business when God invites her to do something dangerous and remarkable. Not dangerous for God, just risky for her. Esther initially hesitates, then does what God asks. This is the shortened version. You can read her full story in the Book of Esther in the Bible. Yup, that’s right. Her obedience led to a book deal.

God’s plan

A key phrase in the book of Esther is, “for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

This short phrase comes with a live or die motto, but in my mind it simultaneously shows God’s bigger plan and hints at a smaller one.

Life-changing moment

Esther’s whole life leads to this life-changing moment if she chooses to do what God asks of her.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 NIV

Overlooked

Most people focus on the last five words. I want to look at a different five that can get lost and overlooked in the middle.

The key phrase I’m looking at is “will arise from another place.”

If Esther doesn’t speak up, God will use someone else to carry out His plan. Esther will have missed her opportunity to serve God and her people in this way.

Miss your turn

But I don’t believe this is a one and done sort of thing. I don’t think God’s handing out assignments and if you miss your turn or your place in line you’ve lost out.

Ideas

Over the past few months (I can’t believe I’m saying months) I’ve had a few ideas on what to post on the blog. Ideas that were very time sensitive, kind of like buying a winter coat before November. Some ideas I ran with:

Offer grace and compassion to one another

Did anybody notice? Look forward in a new way

Others I didn’t.

God didn’t stop

Here’s what I want you to hear. God didn’t stop using me to share ideas. He just didn’t use me to share those ideas, the ones I didn’t write about. Probably gave that opportunity to someone else, but He didn’t write me off.

Accepted the assignment

Here’s the lesson I learned. The next time God put an idea into my head I accepted the assignment and wrote the blog post. And guess what? I heard back from people that it spoke to them. So God hadn’t given up on me and still had some tasks I could do to serve others.

Don’t give up

So if you feel like you’ve missed an opportunity, don’t give up.

Don’t give up on yourself.

Don’t give up on the idea that God can still use you to serve others in some way.

Don’t give up on God.

Because God hasn’t given up on you.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT