Opportunity is a funny thing. Sometimes you can see it coming a mile away. You have time to prepare for it, you have time to pray about it, and you’re totally ready when it arrives.

Other times it appears unannounced, as fast as a lightning bolt. No warning whatsoever. You aren’t afforded the luxury of time to pray about it. You may not even be able to ask several trusted friends. You have to make a decision, then and there.

Truth be told, sometimes I miss opportunities because I was afraid to “take” the shot, the chance or the risk. 

For example, several years ago right before the economic recession, I had a solid offer from a buyer who wanted my house. And I wanted to sell it. I needed to sell it. But I had a magic number in my head and they were only a few thousand bucks away. I hesitated, I didn’t “take” the offer immediately (even though my wife said I should) … and literally, just a few hours later when I decided to take their offer, they had agreed on a price for another home. Less than a mile from my home. 

Is God placing opportunities in your path? 

-An obvious opening to share your story of coming to faith with a co-worker.

-A free afternoon that could be spent with your kids doing something they love (with your phone turned off).

-A mission trip that you’d love to go on.

-An amount of money that you keep seeing in your head that you think you should tithe, sow, or give away.

-A pesky little thought that you should really give away one of your cars to someone who needs it.

This is happening more and more to me as I get older. Some opportunities are huge, but most of them seem small and insignificant … until I look back and realize that I missed the chance because I didn’t take the shot.

I tell my boys when they’re playing baseball that they have to swing the bat if they ever want to get on base. They will never, ever, get a hit if they just watch the pitch.

In other words … whether you miss the shot or make the shot, you have to take the shot.

This is how faith works out in real life. You have to trust Jesus to save you from your sins. You have to trust that God has forgiven you and made you clean and new. You have to trust that the Holy Spirit is living in you and guiding you. If you trust these truths, then you have confidence to TAKE the chance, to step out in boldness and believe God for the best.

And whether you miss it or make it, you take it! The results are up to God. So are the opportunities He places before you. So swing hard and see what happens.