Windows of Opportunity

***I actually wrote this last year sometime while I was still in New Orleans.  For whatever reason, God has me tying up loose ends, including finishing devotions I started or sending out ones that have been in drafts for months and even years.  Hope this blesses you!***

For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. Romans 11:30-31

Today I was slightly disobedient.  Well I guess not slightly.  I was walking Parker and God told me to say something to this lady I passed by.  I resisted and did not because she was a complete stranger and I felt that I was supposed say something more to her.  I asked God to forgive me and then I heard more from Him.  When we disobey God we miss windows of opportunity to pour into others, we miss opportunities to reap His blessings in seemingly pointless situations, and we miss the chance to step out and trust Him in uncertainty.

I then thought about why we disobey God and how do we miss out on these windows.  This is what I saw:

1. Fear

2. Stubbornness and Rebellion

3. Opinions of Others

Truthfully what usually happens is some combination of the three.  You fear the opinions of others and in stubbornness you don't act or more as God tells you to.  I was afraid to speak up to an older white lady and tell her what God instructed me to say to her.  Like I said I felt I was supposed to say more, but that initial word was my window, both to do God's will and to possibly have the extended conversation with her.  But I allowed my thoughts to keep me from being obedient.

I have countless other stories of my disobedience to God smh.    Times He has nudged me to say something to my family or friends and out of fear of what they thought, I kept the vice grips on my mouth.  There were other times when I was supposed to not do something that I instead did.  

***Fast forward to today, 08/12/2015*** As I look back on this, God has given me other situations in which He told me to do something unorthodox and strange.  Fortunately, I believe I've passed the tests since then and gotten so much peace in being obedient.  I encourage you today to take every opportunity as it comes and to be used of God as He desires.  Don't hesitate, don't wait.  Move at His decree and be a blessing!  The seed you sow in someone else could be the final seed needed to experience that breakthrough.  Be selfless and generous in your obedience.  Someone could be waiting on you!