Closed doors = Open doors...

 

...this has been the little life lesson of late!

 

You see recently, in my personal journey, I believed that a certain door would open and that it was ‘definitely’ the next step. I was praying, believing, hoping out for it for months and then when it didn’t open it took me back a little.

“How can that be a closed door!?” I thought. It didn’t make total sense to me at first and when it shut, I went straight to,“well if it’s not this door then what door is it!?”

 

“Where to go I go now?”  We can think.

“What do I do next?”  We can say.

“How can that door be closed?”  We can wonder!

 

Have you ever felt a little lost and unsure in answering these and many more questions? If yes, then take heart, we are in the same boat and even though it can be hard to face when a door is tightly shut (as mine was) it means there is a wonderful new door up ahead for us to walk though.

 

Here are some things I am starting to see:

 

1)                          It’s ok to not know.

 

I believe the beauty in sometimes not knowing gives an excitement for the things that are to come.  In the times we don’t have the answer, we can simply rest in the fact that God promises that He has the VERY BEST plan for our lives and we can trust Him to bring those plans to pass even in the unknown times.

 

 Jeremiah 29:11 says:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.

“They are plans for good and

not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

 

It is NOT the end when one door closes, but rather exciting, as a new door is about to be opened. Don’t let opportunities that are presented to you today pass you by as you are looking for the ‘next’. Be faithful NOW with what is in your hand and you’ll be surprised as you do that, it will often led you straight into the new! It can be so hard at times to focus ‘here’, when you want to be ‘there’ (I know, this is me currently!), but really, as often quoted “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side”. I mean, I’m sure the grass on the other side is awesome, but if I am always pining for over there, I might very well miss the good of the green grass where I am for this moment in time. Let’s not let ‘over there’ distract us from the people placed before us now and the opportunities given to us in this very season!

 

2)                     Get a greater perspective.

 

For any of you gals (or guys!) who have watched the movie ‘Soul Surfer’, there is a scene where Carrie Underwood (who plays the role of Bethany Hamilton’s Youth Pastor, Sarah) talks to the young people in her youth ministry about perspective. At ‘Rad night’ Sarah heavily zooms in on a picture of a flies eye; then a walnut and gets the youth to try and figure out what they are before she reveals the actual sized picture. In both instances, the Youth come up with answers totally off like, ‘dodgeball’, ‘brain’, ‘dead rotting brain!’ With a room of laughter, she then zooms out to reveal the real picture.  All the Youth “Ohh!” as they come to see the picture in it’s PROPER view. Sarah then goes onto to say to the Young people: 

 

“See how hard it can be to make sense of something when you

are looking at it really close”… “Get a new perspective.” 

 

Sometimes we also need a new perspective so we can see the real picture. If we are looking so closely at what’s 'shut' or the ‘problem’ in front of us we can often get a distorted picture of the reality of the situation. In these moments, let’s take a step back. Let’s stop looking or focusing so intently and take the time to breathe, go for a walk, get alone with God, pray, do something we enjoy, have chat about it with a good friend or mentor, etc! After taking the time to pause or momentarily totally stop focusing so hard, we can often see things in a new light and things can make a whole lot more sense! Together, let’s get a new perspective!

 

 

3)                     There is a door that NEVER shuts.

 

Simply put, we have free access to God 24/7. (see Hebrews 4:16)

 

His door never shuts and the cool thing is He actually wants to hear from us and help us. That might be a totally new concept for you, or maybe not, but when we have come to the end of ourselves and all we see are doors shutting all around us we can know that there will always be this one door opened to us.

 

At this door, there is all the help, reassurance, direction and clarity we need as we journey through this season of ‘the unknown’. At this door there is also hope. Hope, that there is a good and bright future for you. If you never have, or haven’t for a while, use the ever opened door! Personally, I’ve found in this season and in many other seasons like it that using this door is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It helps to make things more clear! 

 

I'm so excited for the good things up ahead for you and let the closed door you see before you be an encouragement that the new door of opportunity and breakthrough is coming and it is... good!

 

 

                        We are here with you on your journey!!

 

                                                                Anchor and Heart