Closed Doors Are God's Directions!
Few people like slammed doors. When they are shut in your face, it usually means you are not welcome. You are an outsider to those who have the ‘privilege’ of being on the other side of the door.
It hurts your pride, and it oftentimes leaves you looking for another direction. Possibly another place of acceptance.
Closed doors often make you feel like a failure. You might have invested time, money, and other resources in the decision making towards your choice.
You might have prayed and believed the way was from God. Now, the option is no longer available and what’s left is confusion and unanswered questions.
SUPREME LOVE AND WISDOM!
When we get a closed door, it can be really discouraging. But, we must remember a “No” is an answer from God just as much as a “Yes” is. God leads with both answers, and we must be willing to submit to both.
God is the perfect Shepherd of His children (Psalm 23) and He arranges the best for us. He knows what is to come and we don't. Therefore, our prayer should be to grow in faith, when all we have is His Word.
We can’t see His grand plan, but He has one. His answers reflect His knowledge and supreme love for us. His aim is never to solely hurt one of His children, but He is willing to temporarily hurt us by closing a door, in order to protect us from the wolves on the other side.
CURRECT TIMING!
Sister, we have to pray that God would open our hearts to believe that His plans for us are better. His purposed doors will open at the correct time, for our good and for His glory. The journey will teach us more about Him. The path will grow us up to look more like Christ. The route will grow us down in humility.
One way to shield ourselves from the heartache of a closed door is to think of the character of God and the heart behind our prayers. Our God is not a cruel Father who hangs what you want before your face, slowly leading you closer to it and then snatching it from you. NO!
But, the enemy would love for you to believe that.
He will whisper to you subtle lies as proof. Satan will suggest you question God’s motives. Remember what he said to Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. He told them God was keeping something good from them (Genesis 3). Satan still uses this lie today.
SATAN WHISPERS!
When the doors close, and you see them opening up for others, Satan whispers. When you felt you had God’s heart, but it turned out you were mistaken, Satan whispers. When you are disappointed, Satan whispers.
Daughter of God, preach to yourself! Your Father withholds no good thing from you (Psalm 84:11). If He didn’t give it, you didn’t need it or it wasn’t good for you at the time. Sometimes what’s behind the door seems good to us, but as the fruit from the tree of good and evil, it is poisonous.
Many times, God is protecting you. He is being your Shield. And, like little children who don’t understand that a hot stove burns hands, you and I kick and throw tantrums over the love and protection of our Father.
PRAISE!
The right response is to praise Him for being so gracious and merciful. For leading us well! We should rejoice in knowing that His direction is good and that the closed doors we experience is Him directing us, though we don’t always understand.
When we pray prayers like, “Lord, let Your will be done!” We must remember that God listens and loves to answer those types of prayers. A type of prayer even Jesus prayed and taught (Matthew 6:10).
God’s will isn’t always our desired will. Sometimes, God’s will is the complete opposite of what we really want, and we have to be honest with ourselves and with God.
SURRENDER!
The real question is, Do you love Him enough to submit to Him? Do you trust Him enough to lift up surrendered hands at every closed door that slam in your face for the sake of Christ?
That is what He wants. That is what pleases Him. Not ego, but humility!
If we were honest, sometimes we want to go before God and kick down those doors.
We want to make ways out of no way. We want to be our own god, just long enough to pry the door open or cross the path. Oh, sister. That just doesn’t work and it brings so much grief.
RETURN BACK!
Our goal should always be to live for God, not for ourselves. We live in a time where we are told to “Be Great!” Essentially, “Be God!” Many times our prayers aren’t even godly.
We start asking God for things that don’t even belong to us, like glory!
Some of us are waiting at (even knocking on) doors that daughter’s of God should never go to. Attention. Fame. Men. Money.
Sometimes the doors are closed so that we can return back to our First Love! Maybe God is asking you to return back to Him. Maybe you are seeking things that only Jesus can give.
God says,
“Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Joel 2:13)."
WAIT PATIENTLY!
Or, maybe He is asking you to wait. You are not ready. There is still work to be done in you. He has to lay on the foundation just right. There are some cracks that need to be fixed.
He needs you to learn some more before going through that door. It requires a purer version of yourself; You have to go through the refiner's fire first.
HE IS THE WAY!
You asked Him to show you the way and He closed all the doors. Maybe He is telling you, “I AM the way!”
Your eyes shouldn't rest on any other place for hope. Your heart shouldn’t cling to any other answer than the One All-Wise God.
Some say, “He closed the door to open another. I might add, “He closed what you were putting your hope in to show you Christ, who is the Door.”
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!