For today’s Miracle Monday, we’re re-publishing this story from the early days of the blog, Jan. 17, 2013. It’s an out-of-body experience told by Sister Sylvia Curry.

I was in the living room of my home in Simi Valley, California, running the sweeper over the carpet, but my mind was troubled. I was thinking about several people who were going through a particularly difficult time. Their burdens were heavy on my heart because I loved them. I’d offered many times to help, but they’d refused. I cried silently to the Lord, “Father, you know that my heart wants to help, but they are just pushing me away. I’m so frustrated. Please help.”

I continued to pray in my heart, and then all of a sudden, I was in Brother Bob and Sister Sarah Watson’s house in Northridge. I can’t explain how I got there except that the Lord took my spirit out of my body and placed it somewhere else.

I was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. A little child came up and tugged gently at the end of my skirt. As she tugged, she pronounced the word, “Opportunity.” Then she walked away. I looked after her and thought to myself, “What a big word for such a small girl!” After a while, the same little girl came back, tugged at the hem of my skirt and said, “Opportunity.” She walked away, then came back a third time, and she repeated, “Opportunity.”

Suddenly and without explanation, I was back in my own living room standing in front of the sweeper. I closed my eyes and asked, “Lord, what are you trying to tell me?” When I opened my eyes, they fell on the table where my Bible lay.

I opened it right to the fourth chapter of Philippians, and I read the tenth verse where Paul wrote: “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”

At that moment, the Lord helped me to understand what it all meant. If the little girl represented opportunity, then that means opportunity comes and goes. It won’t stay by my side always. When it tugs, I must respond, because it will leave me at some point.

Just because I had the desire to help someone didn’t mean that I would always have the opportunity to act upon my desire. If I have the opportunity to do good, I should seize it regardless of whether or not I have the desire. Next time, the opportunity may not be mine.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.