I found this quote from an unknown source thought provoking.
“If God shuts a door, quit banging on it.”
I can think of times in my life when I thought I had a great idea to act upon, but someone stepped in and said, “No, you can’t do that.” And I found no way around their objection, so had to give up on the plan and pursue alternatives.
I can think of instances where I wanted to take up a plan of action with my wife, but she had other ideas, so I had to change my plan for the greater good.
The human mind often makes plans that it thinks are the “greatest plans ever,” but they don’t always work out. What appeared to be an open door is not open. The opportunity we thought was there, is not.
This is not to say that there are times when what appears to be a shut door can be opened. That’s a whole other blog…
For this blog, I’m talking about the times when the door is not opening or isn’t ready to open yet.
When faced with closed doors, it’s helpful to remember that whatever plan God makes for us is brought to fruition.
When a door appears shut, it’s not because God shut that door. It may be because God is taking you in a different direction than you previously realized.
God never shuts doors of opportunity. He only opens them.
If self-will, self-righteousness, ego or pride are motivating us, we may think a shut door should be an open door, and in protest, keep banging on it but have only a bruised fist and hoarse voice to show for our efforts.
God always knows best and is always acting in our best interest. He never leads us up to a closed door. Only to open ones.
As we truly listen to the voice of wisdom and humbly follow where divine Love leads, we’ll head down a progressive path. We’ll walk by the shut doors and walk through the open ones. And God will keep opening doors to ensure our continued progress. And there may be a point where that “shut door,” we thought was never going to open, opens.
God’s timing is perfect. Trust it!
“I have opened a door for you that no one can close” Revelation 3:8, NLT.
Thanks Evan, that’s a great message. I can look back at times in my life when a door was closed to me, but there was always something better waiting in a different direction to be discovered! We just have to listen to that “still small voice” and go where it leads us.
Have a great day, listening for directions!
I love this Evan…my brother always used to say “If one door closes…it was the wrong door! It just means that God has something a lot better for you! God knows good better than we do.”
Thank you Evan. Blessings on the day to all.
Just perfect!
Thanks, Evan.
I, too, have had many doors seem to be closed in my life, but on further progress, have realized those were the wrong doors and God did have a much better plan in the ‘bigger picture’. On looking back, I see from a different perspective that everything Does work out for the best when we trust and try not to force our way into a decision. Along these lines, Alexander Graham Bell had written, “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 was opened for us.” Life is always a learning process. That’s for sure.
Just marvelous, Evan, thank you so much for your loving leading us to listen, trust and follow God´s advices – so healing! 😉
So helpful and so true. I remember that years ago I had hoped to stay at a particular hotel, but my husband misunderstood some things and booked us into another hotel. I was very disappointed. We did have dinner at my hotel of choice, and towards the end of the meal (around 8:30 p.m.), the staff started moving things around, and uncovered a small dance floor. It turned out that they had a live band every night that played from around 9 pm to 1 am every morning! When we left, the whole small hotel was vibrating from the music. That definitely would not have been what we wanted on a vacation.
Oh yes, Evan. I’ve been know to line up my howitzer and fire round after round at those doors only to find myself kick and screaming, “this is my door! Get out of the way.” And having God say, Knock yourself out kid, let me know when you are ready to talk.” Great blog for me personally. Thank you.
I have blessed in my employments and many doors have been opened which lead to an interesting life. God does watch over us.
Our challenges
bless us…
As our faith
is renewed in pain….
You were born a perfect
Creation….
And none of that has changed…
Even thru the years…
A perfect child remains…
Beautiful poem, Maximo. Thank you.
Thank you, Evan, for yet another great reminder
of that-which-we-all-should-know-is-obvious! :-))
When doors don’t open I have learned there is a reason. God always knows the best way. I love to work with God but best of all I love to watch God work!
The lines come from Eckhart Tolle and his new book Milton’s Secret. It is about a small autistic boy who has a grandfather in the NOW of life and if you hit it up you can read about it. It is amazing and revealing of God and his plan for us..and that saying comes from the grandfather, played by Donald Southerland. If you go to their website you can see the trailer for the movie and read about the book. It is wonderful to see this on the big screen God speak. God promises us he speaks to us all the time”Your Father knoweth the things ye need before you ask him” Thank you for this wonderful place to come and feel the power of the Word. –Merri
thank you for this helpful reminder!
Thanks so much Evan and to all who have contributed. I love a short poem that says, “Patience isn’t waiting for good to happen, patience is knowing that all of God’s goodness unfolds at exactly the right time.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that God’s timetable is always just right!
Thanks for that great reminder! And all the comments and responses. From the time I was in junior high a couple of my friends and I decided we wanted to all attend a small private nearby college. It would have been expensive, but that’s where I wanted to go. (Self-will!) I did want to do what God wanted me to do, and I applied to the state university also. I know my parents were praying. I received my acceptance letter from the private college and was elated! That was a Thursday. On Saturday I performed in a regional orchestral conference and I saw my girlfriend from junior high who was playing in a different school orchestra. Her first words to me were: “Did you get accepted to ….?” “Yes,” I said, and then the words came out of my mouth, “But I’m going to ….. instead!” I don’t know where those words came from— they had to have come from God—but I felt so free and confident and I couldn’t wait to get home and tell my folks what had happened. I had four wonderful years at the university, made lifelong friends through the C.S. Org there, and had a great education. I am so grateful how Love works and changes our human thought. My thought had closed the door on the university, but Love opened it for me and brought much good!
There’s a testimony on Sentinel Radio that I love on this subject, where Mark Swinney tells about a closed door that led to a much greater opportunity. (If you can’t access it below, look up “Turning to God for Guidance.”)
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/sentinel-audio/sentinel-radio-edition/1999/turning-to-god-for-guidance
Thank you, Evan, and everyone who replied to today’s blog. What comes to me from today’s blog is that God’s door is open only to those who truly seek the kingdom. The door is strait, and the way narrow (Matt. 7:14).
“The great Way-shower illustrated Life unconfined, uncontaminated, untrammelled, by matter. He proved the superiority of Mind over the flesh, opened the door to the captive, and enabled man to demonstrate the law of Life, which St. Paul declares ‘hath made me free from the law of sin and death’” (Mis. 30:16).
“It is only by praying, watching, and working for the kingdom of heaven within us and upon earth, that we enter the strait and narrow way, whereof our Master said, ‘and few there be that find it.’” (’01 28:4).
Jeremy… Thank you so much..
This really needed to be said
I recognize the depth from which
this comment came……..
The door is always open to all
yet so few see it
at least for now, but in time
as the scales drop from our eyes,
Truth reveals we have always been
in the Kingdom, and as we drop the
mask of false belief, it comes into clear view
by recognition of knowingness