Closed Doors 10.23.24

“What He opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open.”

-Revelation 3:7b

Every year after Christmas, I like to take some time to reflect on the past year and pray and plan for the upcoming year. Last December when I was praying I felt God download this phrase in my spirit: 'if it's not from Me, it's not welcome in your life.' So all year I have been writing the phrase on sticky notes or reminders to myself that, if it's not from God, it's not welcome in my life! 

 Many doors that I thought would open were absolutely sealed shut, to the point that  I'm fairly certain the knob didn't even turn. I kept searching and trying to do things all on my own. I can't even begin to tell you how many jobs I applied for in hopes of landing something remote so I could still focus on my family. You know how disheartening it is to receive email after email that the company has decided to proceed with another candidate who is a better fit?! I even applied to go back to school, but somehow the same school I was applying to was the school who sent my transcript in two days late. Huh?? How does that even happen?!

 I shut down. I felt so lost and defeated. I remember crying on the way home from work one day and praying that I knew God was calling me to something else but I just couldn't figure it out on my own. Less than two weeks I received a call that completely changed my world and instantly everything that I had been searching for started falling into place.

Little did I know that those doors were shut and nothing was working out because God had something completely different planned. 

Sometimes we THINK that we want, need or deserve certain things in life or that certain opportunities should absolutely work out for us. When in fact it's not what GOD has in store for us. A 'no' from God isn't rejection, it's His protection and a simple redirection. Because eventually, it will all work out just how He has perfectly orchestrated it for us.

As heartbreaking as it may be to receive those rejection emails or that you weren't selected for that cool opportunity, at the end of the day it may just be God showing you and reiterating to you that you need to trust that He will open the right doors for you and close the ones that He knows will lead to a dead end.

Read your Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and to  speak to you and show you the path you're meant to be on. Because our worldly idea of what we think we should be doing and where we want to go, may not align with the the door God's opening for us.  

REFLECT

Can you think of any times this year that God closed a door or kept a door from opening? Or did He open a door you've been patiently seeking?

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for closed doors that protect me from the unknown. Thank you for opening the doors you need me to go through so I can stay on the path You've planned. Please help me to stay focused on the path and the plans you've prepared for me. 

Amen.

KEY BIBLE VERSES

Revelation 3:8

Revelation 3:20

Proverbs 3:5-3