Edition 17
Opportunity
Last Edition Recap
How have you applied the last edition to your life?
Opening Prayer
Loving Father God, You’ve always transformed problems into possibilities; help us see opportunities where others see obstacles. Amen.
Introduction
Every invention exists because someone faced a problem. Before the wheel, people dragged things. Before electricity, darkness ruled the night. Before penicillin, infections killed millions. The difference between inventors and everyone else isn’t intelligence—it’s perspective. Where others see problems and surrender, inventors see opportunities and engage. They don’t back away; they lean in. Christians face the same choice daily. When problems arise, we either become discouraged and abandon our faith, or embrace the challenge and apply our faith through action. But here’s what we miss: the disciples saw a blind beggar and asked, “Who sinned?” Jesus saw the same man and said, “This is an opportunity for God’s glory.” The Jews believed afflictions proved sin. Jesus believed afflictions provided platforms. We’re called not to retreat from the world’s problems but to seek creative ways to overcome them. John Wesley understood: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can.” Every problem is an invitation. Every obstacle is an opportunity. The question isn’t whether problems exist—it’s whether we’ll see what Jesus sees.
Chat Point 1
What current problem in your life might actually be an opportunity in disguise?
How does focusing on problems versus opportunities affect your faith and actions?
When have you seen God transform a problem into something purposeful?
What prevents us from seeing situations the way Jesus sees them?
How might your community change if Christians became known as opportunity-seekers rather than problem-avoiders?
Read
John 9:1-41 and Colossians 4:2-6
Key Focus
John 9:4 – “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
Chat Point 2
What stood out for you about the contrast between how the disciples and Jesus viewed the blind man?
How does Jesus’s urgency about working “while it is day” challenge our response to problems?
What opportunities for God’s glory might be hidden in the problems around you?
How do the Colossians instructions about being watchful and making the most of opportunities apply today?
What would change if your group stopped discussing problems and started seizing opportunities?
Final Thought
The blind man sat begging, a problem to avoid, a theological debate about sin. The disciples saw curse; Jesus saw canvas. They asked “Who’s to blame?” He answered “Watch God work.” This is the fundamental shift: Christians must not focus on problems, Christians must seek opportunities to overcome problems. Every invention proves this truth—problems aren’t endpoints but starting points. The wheel didn’t appear because life was easy but because dragging was hard. Faith works the same way. That struggling family isn’t a statistic; it’s an opportunity to love. That community conflict isn’t gossip fodder; it’s an opportunity to reconcile. That personal weakness isn’t proof of failure; it’s an opportunity for God’s strength. Jesus warns that night is coming when no one can work. The day is now. The opportunities surround us. While others debate whose fault the blindness is, Jesus is already making mud, already healing, already transforming problems into praise. You were blind but now you can see. The question isn’t what problems you face but what opportunities you’ll seize. God’s Spirit lives within you, creating someone unrestricted by problems, someone who finds opportunities where others find excuses.
My Action
What key insight or learning from this session resonates most with me, and what do I sense God is inviting me to do in response?
Shared Prayer
What are your prayer requests?
Closing Prayer
All-powerful God, grant us wisdom to discern opportunities, courage to act on them, and faith to see them through. Amen.
In-Between Chats: Personal Reflection
What specific problem in your life needs to be reframed as an opportunity for God’s glory this week?
How can you practically apply John Wesley’s challenge to “do all the good you can” in your current situation?
What would you need to stop doing and start doing to become an opportunity-seeker rather than problem-focused?
Edition Writer: Rev Kevin Zondagh
Ordained Minister, Life Coach, Couples Coach, Executive Coach. Founder of CoffeeChatConnect and Exemplar Coaching Pty Ltd.