Have you ever had any “closed doors” experiences in your life? The “closed doors” could be the missed opportunity of a job, a promotion, a season of life, maybe a relationship, a ministry, or even a long-cherished dream, or an unanswered prayer. How did those experiences make you feel? What was your attitude like? What have those experiences taught you? Have you ever wondered why God allowed those doors to be closed? Well “closed doors” can be a blessing in disguise.
People often have the tendency to think, or believe, that because they have the power that they are the ones closing the doors in our lives, but they are wrong. God in his wisdom allows them to do so. He is the great master planner behind the scenes. No person has the power to do what God does not permits. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” This means that when we walk towards the wrong doors in life, even if they seem ‘right’ to us, God has the final wisdom on the matter and loves us enough to stop the things that are wrong for us.
So, instead of worrying about the ‘should-have’, and ‘could-have’ moments’, that He may be stopping for a reason, trust that God sees things perfectly. He has a clear understanding of each event in our life and He sometimes closes the doors for our good. Keep this one thing in mind – no matter how closed the door is, there is power and purpose in each and every closed door. God guides us by using closed doors and opened doors if we are willing to submit to His total control and allow His will to be done in our lives.
You see, God is a great strategist. He has a master plan for everyone’s life. He knows when to close doors and when to open them. He has a way of directing our steps and leading us to the places he wants us to be. So, when doors are closed in your life, adopt a thankful attitude – you just never know what He might be saving you from and taking you to. Maybe your vision was just too small or shortsighted. He may be using the “closed doors” to open up a bigger and better one for you down the road. So try not to get discouraged when doors get closed in your life. Trust God in every situation. Many times God will say no to certain prayers, as well, in order to direct us to roads that will lead us to greater accomplishments.
We learn more or best from unanswered prayers than when we get our way. So in those difficult times, we need to ask God to help us never to get discouraged when our prayerful desires are not being met. Let us ask Him to give us the courage, tenacity and toughness to overcome rejections and exhibit a resilient attitude in our pursuit of God’s best. His alternatives often sharpen our ability to discern what is best in future decisions. He has a way to gain our attention and grant us greater insight into His will.
“Closed doors” experiences offer us a powerful teaching tool. They provide us with the opportunity to use ourselves as living testimonies of God’s goodness in our lives and at the same time help us to empower others on their life’s journey and with their walk with God. What we need to understand is that there is power and purpose in our “closed doors” experiences. Oftentimes, the powerful beauty of a closed door is that it forces us down a different path in the company of different people who, in return, propel us on our right journey which is our life’s course to accomplish God’s will in our lives. At other times, “closed doors” have a way of driving us to our knees in prayer. God knows exactly how to get our attention, and he uses any means to do so.
So next time you encounter another “closed door”, use the opportunity as a time to rest in God and allow him to reveal the next pathway for you. Do not get anxious, angry or frustrated when doors do not open immediately. Trust God and ask him to give you peace as you rest in Him knowing that He will make a way at the right time. Ask Him to keep your mind open to whatever He may be doing in your life at the moment. Put away any of your personal preferences, expectations or prejudices. Remember it is about God’s will for your life and not your own. Let God’s will be done. Trust Him to work in and through you to accomplish His purposes in ways that give Him maximum glory.
With each step we take in life, and each “closed door” we may encounter, we must believe that God has a much bigger plan than our own interests when it comes to the fulfilling of His will for our lives. As we sojourn on life’s journey, it is worth our while to remember that sometimes God sends tears to our eyes in order for a rainbow to appear in our hearts. May the following poem written by M.S. Lowndes be a source of inspiration to you!
Closed Doors Lead To Open Doors
There are times in our lives; we come to a closed door
It does not always mean that we have not heard from the Lord
It may only mean that God is changing how we get there,
To show to us a better way that we were unaware.
So don’t see this as an end to the outworking of God’s will,
The thing that God has birthed in you, He wants to see fulfilled
Just continue to trust in Him and leave it in His hands,
He will work this whole thing out, for it is what He has planned.
And as we look back, we will see how God had been our guide
And directed us along the path where doors stood open wide
So thank Him for these hard times, the setbacks we go through,
For it is God who is leading us to make our dreams come true.
Remember: When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
