Do you shelve your opportunities?

The Wood Closet Shelves

​          No matter who you are, what you look like, or what you do for a living, you have opportunities given to you every day. And each individual person looks at these daily opportunities as different things. Some see them as threats, setbacks, or challenges. Others see opportunities as a way to grow stronger, a step in the right direction or a blessing. And yet others are scared of opportunities and tend to shelve them because they don’t know if they will help or hurt us in life. 
            I tend to fall in that latter category. Many opportunities in life scare me because they are new, they are different, and they have potential to change the way that I currently live my life. In feeling this way, I am usually too scared to take on that opportunity and see what happens. But how do you know when an opportunity is worth taking or will turn into disaster? Luckily, Jesus has some words for us to help with these feelings. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” In other words, the opportunity that God is leading you towards will not give you a deep fear or make you feel pressured to take it. In knowing this, we need to learn to discern the feeling of trying something new versus pure anxiety over the opportunity. God will present a peace in our hearts to know the time is right to take on the opportunity.

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                A few months ago, my co-worker and friend, Margot, bought a house and had a ton of new projects to get started on! She wanted to make her old, dingy closets look clean and more functional. She did a beautiful job painting and putting in a new floor. I had put up shelves in my house a few years ago and offered my help to do a similar shelf in her closets. I was excited to help her make a more functional space, but I was also nervous, thinking, “what if I mess this up for her and her closets look awful?” I have had this doubt in the past and I know that is not from the spirit of God. So we chose a day, Margot got the supplies, and we went to work!
            I love the reminder in Galatians chapter 6 verse 10 that says, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” An opportunity that I let pass by too often is the opportunity to help the ones who are closest to me. Sometimes in a relationship, you can develop this attitude of “what can you do for me” but we should always be asking “what can I do good for you?” It was so satisfying to help Margot that it was almost like she was doing me a favor in letting me help her with these shelves! ​ 
            The shelves we did can be easily done in any house…. Easy with some prier preparation and knowledge of course! This is where projects can stop people in their tracks but you just have to start and have faith that you will figure it out and patience with yourself so you can learn along the way. First, the closets were measured to buy enough wood. These shelves are simply three pieces of 2x1 inch wood that are cut to the width of the board that goes on top and length of the back wall. Next, its sanding and staining or painting. I learned that doing this before installation saves you so much prep work and mess. Finally, cut the wood to size, glue and nail the three pieces of wood underneath and the solid board on top. 

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           This was a great opportunity for both Margot and myself. Margot never cut and stained wood before, let alone install shelves. This showed her that she can tackle some pretty awesome projects in her new home. For me, I never helped someone else do a custom project like this so I can walk away with a new-found confidence in helping others with their home projects. 
             When we are uncertain where an opportunity will take us, it is easy to put it on the shelf and think, “Oh, I will get to that later”. But God doesn’t want us to wait. In James chapter 4 verse 14-15, we are instructed, “How do you know what your life will be tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that’”. Don’t push off God’s will for our lives. Take the opportunity and see where it leads you!