Opportunity Crisis

When you think of a crisis and how people refer to it, you think, mental health crisis or loneliness crisis, which usually means we have a crisis of whatever word precedes the word crisis. I picked today’s title to be a bit of a play on words. There is a sense in which many people would say that the words “opportunity crisis” fit because, for various reasons, it feels like opportunities can be hard to come by these days. That being said, what’s on my mind takes us down a slightly different discussion thread.

I believe God wants us to have so great a faith that we are able to see every crisis as an opportunity. The last several chapters of the book of Genesis tell the story of Joseph. The favored son of his father, Jacob, Joseph grew up a little sheltered, a little spoiled, and he provoked his brothers’ jealousy on multiple occasions. If you don’t remember the story well, it’s definitely worth reading again. (Genesis 37, 39-47, & 50) Much happened and at the end of it all Joseph said these words to his brothers who were so afraid of what he could do to them:

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Later, Joseph’s story is remembered in both the stories and the songs of the Hebrew people. I love how the details of his life are summed up in this one simple idea.

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Many of us get stuck longing for the opportunity we want, and we miss the opportunity we’re in. Joseph faithfully served God and continued to believe. Instead of becoming bitter and resentful, Joseph took advantage of every opportunity to grow into the man who would later be able to shoulder the responsibility of the dreams he’d been given.

You must learn to do the same.