Yesterday I shared an acronym POET. It stands for:
- P – People
- O – Opportunities
- E – Experiences
- T – Things
These are four opportunities to express our gratitude. Yesterday I talked about being grateful for people. Today I want to continue the discussion and talk about being grateful for opportunities.
God has given you opportunities. More opportunities than you realize. We all have opportunities presented to us, but we fail to see them because we are too focused on missed opportunities of the past, present opportunities not available, or opportunities some distance away in the future. But there are opportunities before you if you are willing to see them.
Your future is a blank canvas. Today is a day of possibilities filled with opportunities. Ask God to give you the eyes to see opportunities and the courage to grab hold.
I enjoy the art of photography. The challenge of good photography is to look at everyday life from a new perspective. You can have two photos of the same subject. One may be forgettable and the other captures your attention and imagination. What makes the difference? One photographer saw the possibility. He saw the opportunity. He challenged himself to look at a common subject in a new way. Maybe he looked at the subject from an angle above. Maybe he looked at it from an angle below. Maybe he changed the lighting to see the subject in a new light.
The point is that it is the same subject, but a different outcome. The opportunity existed from both photos. One photographer saw the opportunity and the other did not. What are the opportunities you miss?
The other thing about capturing a photo is that you need to frame the subject. Often what makes a photo compelling is what you don’t see. A great photo is not about embracing all the possibilities, but seizing the right possibilities. The photographer is limited by the frame of the camera. He is limited by the lighting of the scene. He is limited by the technology. But great art is to capture possibility inside of all the limitations.
There are plenty of things I never got to do with my life. There are plenty of things I will never get to do. There are plenty of limitations in front of me. But instead of dwelling on what I didn’t do and what I can’t do, I will choose to focus on what I can do. And there is an abundant future that is full of possibility with God as my strength!
I am thankful for the opportunity to live. I am thankful for the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I am thankful for the opportunity to partner with God in doing his work. I am thankful for the opportunity to connect with you through this blog. I am thankful for the opportunity to make a living doing what I love. I am thankful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. I am grateful for opportunities I don’t yet see.
Questions for Reflection
- What are the opportunities that exist in your life?
- What causes us to miss the opportunities?
- Share the opportunities for which you are grateful.
- Share your comments.
Share your comments