Who Closed the Door?

When I was on the hunt for a job I prayed that God would open the right door for me and I believe He did. There was another job that I thought was amazing and them telling me they were going in another direction was in a sense a closed door. This helped me see that I believe I wanted that job more than God did and in a sense I wanted it more than I wanted what God wanted for me.

How often as Christians do we say well I thought that was what God wanted but He shut that door? What does that even mean? I tried to use that excuse to get out of the Army about 2 weeks into boot camp but it didn’t work and turns out I just had to look beyond myself to succeed. Sometimes we put our limitations on a limitless God. We have a great way of saying something we don’t really want to do is not God’s will or we let any obstacle become a closed door. God asks us to do something, we get uncomfortable and all of a sudden the first obstacle the devil throws at us is God’s closed door that makes it okay for us not to follow God. I do believe that some doors will be closed to us. Some opportunities will be closed to us but we cannot continue to use that excuse every time we get uncomfortable.

The world is watching and waiting for us to act like Christians. For once, just once maybe act like we have a little bit of faith in a God that is so powerful. Some of the biggest lies that Christians spread are: God can’t do that; God can’t use me to do that; and God won’t use you to do that. When the world sees us act this way they immediately turn off. Here we are, supposedly believing in a God who is so great and powerful but we don’t even trust Him enough to completely follow Him when it makes us the least bit uncomfortable.

Imagine being little old teenage Daniel running in to battle with the behemoth Goliath. You hear God telling you that you got this and you go to tell the king that you got this but then you find out that they don’t have a weapon that is not too heavy for you to carry and there is no armor that will fit you. I think at that point I would agree with everyone else that I was crazy and start looking for a way out. Daniel did not do that though, he knew that if God had called him there, then God would provide a way. He trusted God over himself.

Look at poor Zacchaeus he couldn’t see from the crowd and couldn’t push his way forward through the crowd so he just decided that even though he knew he was supposed to see Jesus that day, the door to that opportunity had closed. He just went home and sat alone. No, wait that isn’t what happened. Zacchaeus decided that although he had an obstacle in his way it would not stop him from doing what he came there to do and that was to see Jesus. How many of you would go to that extreme to get to see Jesus. I know people who waited in line a few weeks ago to see Trump who waited longer to see Trump then they would to see Jesus.

What about the 4 friends who carried their paralyzed friend to see Jesus. When they arrived a crowd had already formed and the door was blocked and there was no way in. Did they give, up and go home and tell their friend, better luck next time. Maybe they decided to follow Jesus to His next stop and try again there. No, they came there with a purpose and found a way to Jesus. These 4 guys were dedicated. They climbed up on the roof, hoisted their friend up there, then dug a hole in the roof big enough to fit a person through, and then dropped him down into the room with Jesus.

So the next time you think that God may have closed a door to an opportunity, stop and consider all of your options and make sure there isn’t another way in. Sometimes coming through the roof may be our only option. Do not let your own insecurities stop you from the Will of God. Remember God will always call you to things that are bigger than you are and when we start letting our own fears get in the way what are we saying to the world.

Why would anyone choose to listen to our witness about God if we just gave up every time an obstacle got in the way? Remember the road will be narrow.