Three Things You Need To Do Before Taking Hold Of That Opportunity In Front Of You
Have you ever wondered if that opportunity laid out in front of you is from God and should be taken? If you do, that's a good thing – many who quickly jump in without seeking God first end up regretting the decision they made, and I hope you don't get to that point.
Consider King David who at one time was incited by the devil to hold a census to count the number of fighting men in Israel. While this action might seem innocent, it angered God because He wanted Israel to trust in Him, not in the size of its army. God punished David and the nation for it. (see 1 Chronicles 21)
Think about it: not all opportunities are from God. Worse, some opportunities might appear beneficial, but still they aren't pleasing to God. Would you want to jump in and grab a hold of something God doesn't want you to?
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To help you decide if you should grab that opportunity or not, here are some things you should do.
1) Seek God's Will According To The Word
First, we should seek God. Consider how the prophets and the men of faith in the Bible did what they did: before embarking on some task, they would seek the Lord.
A time before David made that aforementioned mistake, he used to inquire of the Lord before doing something. In 1 Samuel 30:8, for example, he asked God if he should pursue a group of raiders. God said yes, and so he pursued them and was victorious over them.
2) Know Your Purpose For Entering
Next, we should know our purpose for entering the door and grabbing the opportunity. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that "without vision, people perish." Simply put, we need to know what we will do and why we will do it.
Consider what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26:
"Do you not know that all those who run in a race run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain it. Everyone who strives for the prize exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one. So, therefore, I run, not with uncertainty. So I fight, not as one who beats the air."
3) Count The Cost Of The Commitment
Now that you're sure that you're going to grab the opportunity and the purpose for what you're going to do, prepare yourself to handle it. The Lord Jesus admonishes us,
"For who among you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost to see whether he has resources to complete it? Otherwise, perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to complete it, all who see it will begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to complete it.'" (Luke 14:28-30)
Let us all be wise in making decisions. If it's from God and we have a clear purpose for it, then we better prepare for it as well.
