Lost opportunities can be incredibly disheartening. Everyone will experience losing an opportunity at some point in their lifetime but it should not be a regular occurence in anyone’s life. They represent moments when we miss out on what could have been significant blessings or breakthroughs in our lives. Whether it’s a missed academic, career or business opportunity, a broken relationship, or a spiritual calling we didn’t heed, lost opportunities can manifest in different forms at different times leave us feeling regretful disappointed, and sometimes even hopeless.
Causes of lost opportunities
Lost opportunities can sometimes be traced to single or multiple causes. In some cases, the cause can be untraceable. Some causes of lost opportunities include:
- lack of adequate preparation
- lack of information
- lack of motivation
- Ill health
- Error
- Carelessness
- fear
- procrastination
- Corruption or injustice
- Bad character
- indecision
- laziness
- Spiritual attack- curse, oppression
Effect of lost opportunities on a Christian’s faith
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
The verse above captures the emotional impact of lost opportunities on our hearts and minds. For Christians, lost opportunities can also challenge our faith. We might question God’s plan for our lives , feel let down by God or feel as though we’ve let Him down. The pain of lost opportunities can cause some Christians to blame others, fall into depression, abandon fellowship with God and other brethren and ultimately denounce the faith. We should never give in to any of these reactions as Deliberate Christians. Nothing is ever beyond God. It is important to remember that our God is the controller of times and seasons. All things including opportunities were created by him and for him. He is the God of restoration and second chances.
How a Christian should respond to lost opportunities
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”
Joel 2:25(NIV)
This promise reminds us that God can redeem our lost opportunities and restore what we feel we’ve missed.
Given this understanding, it is crucial to mention that all issues of life have a faith and works dimension. A Christian’s first response should be thorough assessment must take the pain of lost opportunities to God in prayer. it’s crucial to add faith to works by doing the needful to secure opportunities and engaging in prayer to overcome the battle of lost opportunities. A Deliberate Christian does not only pray, we appropriate grace by doing all that is required and trusting God to perfect our imperfections, erode our oversight, be favorable towards us and cause all things to work together for our good according to his divine power.
Through prayer, we can seek God’s guidance, find peace and healing, and trust in His ability to open new doors and create fresh opportunities. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” By turning to prayer, we align ourselves with God’s will and invite His transformative power into our lives.
