... Opportunity

Today, my godchildren, their parents, a high school friend of their father's, and a couple other family friends, watched a movie on a big screen in a great room with a stage-- picnic style.
The movie was 'Evan Almighty.'
I love movies! I basically love watching screens-- with the exception of video games. I do NOT like video games.
I love movies because, at least, I think this is why I love movies, I get transported outside of my own hang-ups, prejudices, frustrations, self comforts, and fears, into this world where I get to believe that the character needs me to watch him/her get to the end of the movie.
Disclaimer: I do not watch nonsense, lesson-less, movies.
Before I digress, (which, I know, I do often - my apologies)...
In the times that I have previously seen 'Bruce Almighty' or 'Evan Almighty', I have always been hit with a renewed wonderment of just how lovely their rather fair depiction of a lovingly relentless God. Not abrasive, not demanding, not political. Just... well... everything a believer would like to believe that Someone they trust and love is.
In both 'Almighty' movies, I learned something - the same thing.
No matter how hard, how uncomfortable, how embarrassing, how inconceivable what God may ask us to do might be, three things (so far) are certain:
1. He is not going to change His mind about calling YOU to do THAT thing.
2. You are not alone. He is always going to be there when a "Professional" is needed.
3. He has already seen the future of that calling. Therefore, You. Are. Okay. You're good. You're golden. You be ballin'.
But that is not the lesson I learned from 'Evan Almighty' today. The lesson I learned reduced me to that same blubbering mess it always reduces me to whenever that movie comes on.
Evan's wife leaves him- because her congressman husband suddenly began to grow a Moses-type beard, had flowing long hair, and wore an old-fashioned-carpetbag material type robe, and walked with a staff; claiming that God told him to build an Ark. In the middle of suburbia. In the middle of a drought. SAY WHAT??!!
Personally, I am not AT ALL questioning her decision to leave, nor am I judging her too harshly for not leaving sooner... and perhaps dropping him off at a nuthouse on her way.
Sorry... Back to my lesson...
Evan's wife is sitting in a diner, when God (Morgan Freeman) comes to her, as a human, and asks her why she was so downcast. She relays to Him concerning her desire for a closer family, husband, the ark, and her confusion about the whole affair.
God teaches her something about seeing the 'opportunity' in the midst of the trial.
He asks her: "When we pray for patience, does God grant us patience? Or does He give us the OPPORTUNITY to be patient? When we ask for a closer family, does God give us a closer family? Or the OPPORTUNITY to love... enduring all?"
I am always melted by that portion of the movie; because I think about myself and the opportunities I continue to WASTE daily. I feel a great deal of shame at how far I have come with God, and how very little I have to show for it.
A few things I took with me, hoping this time I keep it inside my heart, that I might not sin against God:
When I ask God to teach my how to love to pray, I will snatch the ENDLESS opportunities to pray. For help, for you, for me, for my friend, my neighbor, my exams, my goals, my family, my future, my children.
When I ask God to teach me how not to be complainant, I will find the silver lining and focus more on the roses, than the thorns.
When I ask God for patience, I will grab the opportunity for long-suffering (including not wanting to rip my hair out when... well... it doesn't take a whole lot.)
When I ask God for the power to forgive, I will take the Opportunity to continue to pray for the power to forgive.
The same goes for other things I struggle with; like: Procrastination, a short temper, pride, and lack of confidence.

So what do I do now?
I make like Evan's wife.
I stare my defects in the face, grab my opportunities, and dare them.
Do I expect them to always be easy? Honestly? Yes I do!
Realistically? No I don't.
But my chances are good. Nay, my chances are GREAT!
After all, I've never been much of a realist anyway... ;)