Opportunities and Uncertainties
Life is full of both opportunities and uncertainties. Opportunities in life may include things like receiving a new job offer, getting into a relationship, entering into business, purchasing a home, and starting a family. Uncertainties may include financial worries, health issues, relational conflicts, work problems, and other concerns that may come our way. We will no doubt encounter both opportunities and uncertainties as we continue to live in this world. We can't necessarily predict what kind of opportunities and uncertainties will come our way. But we can make the most of them when they do arise. How can we seize the opportunities that become available to us and navigate through the uncertainties? We need wisdom. Lots of wisdom.
We need wisdom to determine which opportunities are ones that we should take advantage of and which ones are not for us. Wisdom is also needed to know which uncertainties are within our control and which ones we need to let go of and trust God. We need wisdom as we go through life. God actually wants to give us the wisdom we need to determine the best course of action for our lives. He doesn't want to hide His wisdom from us. The book of James declares these words: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (Jam. 1:5 NIV). God delights in granting us wisdom if we humbly come before Him and ask it from Him.
The spiritual practices of prayer, Scripture, worship, and contemplation help us connect with God every day. Through these practices, God grants us wisdom for our lives. These spiritual disciplines prepare us for the future. They prepare us to seize the right opportunities and prepare us to navigate through the challenging uncertainties. We engage in these practices today for a future that includes both opportunities and uncertainties. If we're not prepared, we might miss the opportunities and fail to navigate the uncertainties well.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.