2 perspectives to change obstacles into opportunities for sharing the good news

When you think about your day, do you see opportunities for talking with people about God, or do you see obstacles?

Maybe you look at your busy schedule and think there are few, if any, opportunities for meaningful conversations about faith. But what if God has put you where you are, with the busyness and interruptions that come with daily life, for a reason?

Seeing that bigger purpose, though, can require a shift in perspective. The locations God has placed you in, and the daily patterns he’s put in your life, are not obstacles to sharing your faith. They are opportunities to reveal his love to those around you.

So here are two perspectives to help you transform your obstacles into opportunities to talk about God with the people in your life.

1. Because God’s Spirit lives in you, people can meet with God any place you go

To understand the importance of the places in our lives we need to understand how God has used holy places to bring people closer to himself. In the history of God’s people, the most fundamental example of this is the temple.

At the temple God’s people could come to worship because God himself was there. And he invited people from all around the world to come and learn about him and worship him. God put himself in a geographic location so that people could meet with him.

Fast forward to now, and God no longer lives in one single temple. He lives in each of us! “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV) That means that we are walking temples. We are the places where God chooses to live. And he invites people to himself through us.

By extension, the places where we go become holy places where God is. God has put you in those locations to be a mini-temple, representing him wherever you are. 

So your home is a place where your neighbors can see God. Your child’s school is a place where other parents, teachers and kids can encounter the Lord. Your workplace, gym, library, front yard, grocery store — all places where God has come to meet people through you.

2. Your everyday patterns can make a great impact for the gospel

Now think about the patterns in your life. You probably have a daily or weekly rhythm — you go to work, pick up your child from school, maybe meet some friends on Thursdays. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the busyness of it all.

But what if you slowed down enough to realize the potential of your everyday activities?

The Bible often talks about spreading the gospel like planting seeds. Is it a lot of work to plant a seed? Not at all! It takes just a moment to throw a small seed on the ground. It takes a few seconds to water it each day.

The key is doing small things consistently, leading to big results over time.

You see the same people every day or every week. What small things could you do to share God’s love with them in your everyday activities? Try to think of things that, if done consistently, might lead to fruit in the long run. It could be starting with a simple hello, or inviting a friend over for dinner. Or mentioning something encouraging you read in the Bible recently. The small patterns in our lives have great potential. 

So how do you transform your obstacles into opportunities? It really comes down to changing your perspective. Do you view your daily interactions with people as insignificant? Remember, you are God’s presence in your everyday places and patterns.

One way to start changing your perspective is to make a new pattern. At the beginning of each day, remember that God has put you with purpose in the places you are. Pray for eyes to see the opportunities around you each day. God is with you!