John Ortberg continues Chapter 1 of All the Places to Go with the observation that often an open door begins with discontentment about the room we’re currently in. Although our strength may be small (Revelation 3:8), Pastor Ortberg states it’s comforting to know that God can open a door for anyone, not just the talented or extraordinarily strong. Furthermore, God can open a door in any circumstance. While in a Nazi concentration camp, Viktor Frankl found an open door his guards didn’t know existed:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to chose one’s own way.”
John defines divine opportunity alertness as “the ability to discover the range of possibilities that lie before us in every moment and in any circumstance.” Divine opportunity alertness is a skill that can be learned. Yet, open doors don’t exist solely for our benefit. They are opportunities to bless someone else. Open doors also involve a good not yet fully revealed.
Pastor Ortberg cautions that an open door is neither a blueprint nor a guarantee. It doesn’t come with a detailed set of instructions from God. An open door is . . . an open door. If we want to find out what is on the other side, we have to go through it.
Today’s question: What has enabled you to cultivate divine opportunity alertness? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the new addition to the Annotated Bibliography, The Grave Robber