What To Do with an Open Door

These are the Air Jordan 3 Retro '88s aka "Slam Dunk Contests". These are the shoes (retroe'd of course) that Mike wore when he beat Nique in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. These were released online yesterday (February 6, 2013) at 4:51 pm. Sneakerheads (I'm proud to be one) and resellers all over the world were logging on to various websites trying to get a pair of '88s. My website of choice was finishline.com mainly because I shop there on a regular and they have a great rewards program, The Winner's Circle. They set up a "waiting room" page to hold back traffic so the site wouldn't crash. You didn't have to refresh your browser, you just had to wait... and wait... and wait. Hopefully you were one of the one's who waited long enough until you were allowed on the site. To make a long story short, I waited for a long, long time. Almost 4 hour sitting in front of my computer, hoping for the chance to get a pair of these exclusive sneakers. The funny thing is, I didn't even think I was ever going to get the opportunity to get the kicks because I'd never gotten through before and the chances of actually getting passed MILLIONS of people on ONE site, were very slim. Funny thing is, I DID get through. You would think that this would be a story about how I got the shoes, WRONG! I winded up getting booted off the purchase page because when it was time to check out I took too long. A most sneaker websites that deal with big releases have a timer built in so if you take too long and hold up the site, other people who are ready can have a chance. When the chance I prayed for (yes I pray for sneakers)  came, I couldn't focus, I wasn't prepared, and I blew it! I was so shocked that I actually got what I wanted, I didn't know what to do! Who does that?! I do... we all do!

I shared that with you to say, we as people of God need to always be prepared for our blessings. Yes God can move and work on your behalf but when it comes time to receive the blessing are you in in place? Are you prepared? ARE YOU REALLY READY? My church's theme for this year is "The Year of Opportunity" and it's based on Revelation 3:8 which says, "I know they works: behold, I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it..." God knows your labor, he sees all that you go through. He knows how much you sacrifice and he knows your heartache. It's in his will to bless you with your heart's desire, but are you in a place to where you can handle it? On a funny level I prayed and asked God to allow me to get the shoes, not thinking that it would really happen. So when it did happen, I wasn't really prepared for it and I wasted my opportunity. Of course it's a funny situation because it's about some sneakers but we as people of God do it all the time. We ask God for a financial blessing, but we don't pay our tithes. We ask God for a job but we wake up at noon to look for one or if someone says, "McDonald's is hiring" we get offended like McDonald's don't pay in U.S. currency and it's beneath you to work there. Last time I checked money is money and it's never been beneath me to make money. To take it a step further, we ask God for a mate but walk out the house looking like the ANTI-MATE (lol). If you ask God for it, you need to be walking like you already have it. You think Gabrielle Douglas just made up those Gold-winning routines when she got to London? No, she had her routine AND her gold-medal acceptance speech ready in 2011!

We also have to get out of this mindset that someone owes us something. NOBODY OWES YOU ANYTHING! I'm not sure if I'm the first to tell you, but if I am, I'm sorry you had to find out this way. If you are not in your place, then someone is going to take it. No one is going to hold your space and there is no ditching! I really learned that the hard way last night because I didn't make the most of my opportunity and got kicked me off the site. Now someone else is wearing the shoes I was supposed to have. My pastor, Dr. Robert C. Jiggetts Jr., is a firm believer that "One monkey don't stop the show" If they call you to preach and you're not there, someone else will preach. If you're not there to usher, someone else will USH (lol). God has given gifts to everyone but it's up to us to use them. God also gives us many opportunities, but it's up to us to be in our right place to make the best of the situation. God will use anyone to get His glory, just like Nike/Jordan Brand will use anyone to buy their shoes! Don't squander your opportunity because of lack of preparedness.

I'm going to leave you with an equation and I hope that you'll take it to heart

Don't just wait for the door to open, be prepared to walk through it!

-SP