Opportunity by Robin Dotson

Today we catch up with our very own Robin Dotson (breast cancer survivor) on how her word for 2016 is going!


​My word for 2016 is opportunity.
 
The dictionary defines the word as a favorable combination of circumstances, time and place.

Choosing a theme word for a whole 365 days is quite a thoughtful process for me. After finally choosing my word, I began thinking about phrases regarding "opportunity" over my lifetime. Phrases like,
“Don't let opportunities pass you by!”
“Opportunity is knocking”
“If you knew you had only a limited number of days in this life, would you take the opportunity to do anything differently?”
“What's on your "Bucket List”?”


Wow, all of these phrases seem like a lot of pressure to do everything “good” this life has to offer without any regrets. Some of these phrases can seem a little self-serving if we only look at opportunities from an earthly perspective. What about missed opportunities I have already faced in this life? I'm sure everyone can look back on life and see some of these missed moments. But the mere word opportunity gives us the hope of at least one more.

After deciding on my word of the year, I also began thinking about what the Bible says about our opportunities in this life.

James 4:13-17 - 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Time goes by and circumstances come and go. What is my life?

I want my life to be a living, breathing opportunity to serve God and others.

Galatians 6:10 - 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

I am trying daily to see opportunities to help other believers. Through my own cancer battle, I continue to meet so many other Christians who just need a word of encouragement to get through another day of their own battle or even just a reminder that their life is in God's hands. I hope today I take that opportunity!

Colossians 4:5-6 - 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
 
I am also trying hard this year to watch "how" I say things to others. God puts people in our path for the opportunity to share our faith, but we can also blow it with how we approach conversation. Even if it is just a simple seed of kindness, I pray daily for wisdom and discernment in my approach but also making myself aware of "redeeming the time", the precious day God has given us to share His love with others.

Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

My daily prayer for 2016 has been to see God's opportunity for me and not making my own plans for the day. I don't want to miss a door that God has cracked for me in someone's life or a moment to help someone today.

I don't believe God gives us another breath, another moment and surely not another twenty-four hours or 365 days without giving us opportunities to do things that truly matter in light of eternity!