When God Closes A Door

When doors are slammed on us it is easy to respond in a negative way. I believe that our struggle is the fact that we don't know the reasons why God allowed the doors to close. It is this strange and mystifying "silence" that makes us wonder if God really cares about our circumstances. Sometimes closed doors come just so suddenly and abruptly followed by silence we often misinterpret--the "sound" of God's silence.

I came to understand even as we are experiencing doors slammed on us, that God doesn't tells us why a door is closed. He rarely explains to people His reasons for closing doors. There are things we really believe will work. It can be an idea, a business, career, relationship,opportunities, or even a ministry we have been working on for years, doing our very best to make them work, then "suddenly" everything falls and collapses; torn down!

As doors close in life, we learn that God is sovereign. People are regarded as nothing, and God does as He pleases. We cannot hold back His hand and question what He allows to happen in our lives (Daniel 4:35). His plan for you and me is profound, and God takes full responsibility for His actions. We should be the "responders" not "initiators." How we respond to closed doors is important. He is the Potter and we are the clay. Only the potter forms, shape and designs with his hands clay and determine their purpose and use.

God can close one door after another in our lives. God can turn our disappointments to divine appointments. When He closes a door He opens a window. The Apostle Paul in the story of his second ministry never thought that God would literally keep them from preaching the word in the province of Asia. The Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to enter Bithynia even as they tried to. One night, Paul saw a vision of a man calling him to go to Macedonia to help them. Acts 16 tells us this great story of doors that were slammed in Paul's ministry. But what makes this story so powerful and inspiring is Paul's response. He "immediately" went!

I believe that "waiting upon the Lord" does not mean being passive. We have to continue to seek for His will and surrender ours to Him. Ask God what His will is, not what His will is for you. Like Paul, when doors were slammed on him he "went" until God showed him open doors. We must get on pass our closed doors and move on in our journey with the Lord. We need to make bold decisions when we know that is is God who closed the doors. We cannot just sit and be passive. We must follow His lead and new doors will open for us. But first, we must open the door of our hearts and ask Jesus to enter. There is only one thing that God cannot do and that is to open the door of your heart. He will stand outside that door and wait until you ask him to come in.

If you have not asked Jesus to come into your heart, you can do that now, even as you read this blog. Remember, when doors are slammed, tell Jesus, "Let it be..let it be."