You know how we sometimes get heartbroken over closed doors and how it feels like it’s the end of the world when God answers us with a “NO”? The ironic thing about closed doors is, while they, more often than not, leave us heartbroken, disoriented and empty-handed, they’re actually some of the best things that can ever happen to our young, stubborn, and reckless lives. In essence, in spite of all the seemingly bad things that they come with, closed doors actually make decision-making a whole lot easier.
When I was in Sydney in 2008, my cousin and I took a drive one Sunday afternoon to this quaint little town called Wollongong, an hour’s drive south of the city. (Wollongong is, by the way, one of my most, if not the most, favorite places in New South Wales.) We reached Wollongong that day alright, but going back to the city we missed a turn, so we ended up driving around in circles for more than 2 hours finding our way home. Amazingly enough, it was the “NO ENTRY” signs that brought us back on track.
It’s simple logic. When there’s a “NO ENTRY” sign, you have no choice but to not take that route. When God closes a door, you don’t push your way through that closed door, you wait on Him to open another one. When God answers your questions and prayers with a resounding”NO”, you trust and acknowledge that He wants something else for you.
Such is life.
And I know it’s easier said than done, but I’ve learned in my 26 (almost 27) years of existence that God’s NOs in my life ultimately took me back where I’m supposed to be, especially during those times when I became too stubborn to admit that I lost my way, or times when I deluded myself into thinking that I was on the right track that I stopped relying and asking Him for directions. “Closed doors are God’s way of directing us on the path He wants us to walk on,” I read somewhere. I couldn’t agree more.
Four months ago God closed a door to my face, and took me out of a place that was clearly not His will for me. And now, I can’t help but heave a sigh of relief, thanking God for being more stubborn than I am, and for loving me so much that He closed all the other doors except this one which He so lovingly left open for me.
+ OAN, I was at the Darlene Zschech and Hillsong Team’s Worship Concert last week, and it was made of awesome. :)
