An Opportunity?

I take a moment to read another chapter in Paul Miller's book, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus. I only have five minutes because I'm just so busy complaining about all my problems today:

My vacuum cleaner is broken and making strange noises. I have to clean for family coming. I am behind on my grading. I am already ready to go to bed, and it's not even 2:00 PM. I have nothing in my kitchen to cook for dinner. Blah, blah, blah. I let myself feel all the negativity. Sometimes it feels good to complain. I do get that. I even rope my husband into one of my complaining sessions.

It's one of those days when it's all problems and not much joy. I'm embarrassed by my terrible attitude.

So I flounce down in my rocking chair--dramatically, huffing-and-puffing, and wasting away--and I read Miller's words on "finding glory in unexpected places." In particular, he discusses how, instead of problems, Jesus always saw opportunities for God to work.

It's true: Every time someone came to Jesus with a problem, he only saw an opportunity.

In fact, maybe the problems exist today for the express purpose of seeing God's power displayed.

I don't have problems; I have opportunities for God to work. 

Yeah! Yes! That's exactly right.

I feel so much better.

_______________________

Did God make a problem into an opportunity?