Opportunities

I had a discussion with a great friend of mine last night.
It was a much needed heart to heart.
Some deep feelings were discussed.
And some deep fears were shared.

We spoke of friendship
and love
and life with all its twists and turns.
And we spoke of fears.

I told her about something I've been fearing lately.
She understood the fear.
She asked what I was going to do about it.
..I don't know.

I explained how it seemed God was sending things my way to remind me about this fear.
Then a deep question arose.
Is He sending you reminders about that fear?
Or is He giving you the opportunity to overcome that fear?

Ah...then I remembered something taught to me in church growing up.
God doesn't test us,
He doesn't warn us,
He doesn't try to scare us,
He doesn't wait for us to be ready...

What He does is gives us the opportunities
to prove to ourselves that we can do it,
to keep ourselves open to new things,
to overcome our fears,
to show us that we are indeed ready.

So the next time I find myself asking
"God, why are you doing this to me?"
I will remember that He is not "doing something to me"
He is giving me an opportunity..
And I will take the opportunity gracefully.