Have you ever been disappointed when it seems like God closes a door? It’s hard to trust God and wonder what He’s up to at the same time, isn’t it?
A few years ago, my family received disheartening news. My son had dared to apply to a highly competitive university, number one in the nation for his field of study. He worked hard to fill out the application, take extra tests, write multiple essays, and even go to an interview. We knew only 8% of the top students in the nation could be accepted, yet we were still crushed when he received notification that they’d be unable to offer him admission.
Usually optimistic and positive, my son grieved the loss of his dream, and my mom’s heart was bruised at seeing him so disappointed. He’d worked hard, seemingly for nothing. It seemed so unfair that I couldn’t help but ask God, “What are you doing?”
The next day I told my sob story to a friend over coffee. Her response surprised me:
“If God didn’t close doors, we wouldn’t know which ones to go through.”
Her common sense wisdom shifted my attitude. My friend was right. We always want to see God open doors for us, and sometimes He does. We’re excited when we start a new position at work, or when God provides the money for a new car. If we get accepted into a master’s program or an exclusive professional group, we thank Him for opening doors. But sometimes God closes a door, and that closed door is part of His leading, too.
Scripture tells us God not only opens doors, but He also closes them.
He opens the right doors and closes the wrong ones to lead us down the path He has for us. Maybe you’re facing a closed door that disappointed you: you got laid off from work, or the sale on your house didn’t close. Maybe your child didn’t make the swim team.
Rest assured that God will open another door for you
The day after my son got his devastating news, he received acceptance and a generous scholarship to a university honors program in our home state. He has had access to excellent education and opportunities. Last fall he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, and this spring he represented his school at a conference in New York City. Remembering his initial disappointment, we marvel now at God’s goodness, and we suspect he’s happier than he would have been at the elite school on the East Coast.
Friend, if you’re looking at a closed door today, take heart.
1. Wait on God
When God closes a door, I tend to keep banging on it and try to make things happen myself. Maybe a better approach is to step back and wait on the Lord. Psalm 25:4 encourages us to pray, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me.”
2. Keep Trusting Him.
You may have to wait for an open door longer than my son did, but even when things don’t go like you hope, Psalm 25:10 encourages you to remember God’s goodness. “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful.”
God is in control. He has a plan, and he’ll lead you through it. Sooner or later, He’ll open the right door for you. And when you go through that open door, you’ll give thanks for the ones He closed.
Now it’s your turn: Has God opened or closed a door in your life lately?
More posts on the theme of Trusting God:
Help When You Need to Surrender Control
When You Need to Grow Faith and Stop Worry
How to Grow Your Faith and Overcome Fear
Are you facing the challenges of life on an empty tank? Need help renewing your relationship with God?
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Linking up with Kelly Balarie’s #RaRa Linkup, Mary Geisen’s #TellHisStory, Crystal Storms’ #HeartEncouragement, and Lyli Dunbar’s #FaithonFire. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
Photo Credit: Melika
I love your friend’s wisdom. It might have been hard to receive in that moment but isn’t it just like God to give us exactly what we need. The image of a door always speaks to me of so many life lessons.
I always chersih the wisdom you share here. Your words are a blessing.
Thanks for your encouragement here today, Mary. Like I have said before, you are a light.
This is a great perspective, Betsy. We often thank God when he opens a door, but we should be just as grateful when he closes the wrong one. I want all the help I can get with decisions, so if he wants to narrow them down for me, I should say thank you.
You’re right, Lisa. We need to THANK Him for closing doors too!
Betsy,
God has opened and closed many doors in my lifetime. Sometimes I think that I would have settled for less than the very best had God not closed a door. I think I know what’s best for me, but I have learned that, truly, only God knows that. Having had doors close, and having to warily walk through opened doors has taught me a level of trust I could have never learned any other way. Wait and Trust….two great thoughts.
Blessings,
Bev xx
I think you’re right, Bev. We lack the endurance and perseverance to wait it out, so sometimes He has to CLOSE doors so we won’t go through the wrong ones. Blessings to you, friend.
Such encouragement, Betsy. I appreciate your friend’s wisdom. Since my book proposal will be sent to publishers for review this spring, I will keep this gem in mind. Thanks for sharing!
Praying now for your proposal and open (or closed) doors, depending on God’s perfect plan for your message! I hope He opens them!
Betsy, I have learned to pray “God if this isn’t Your good, acceptable, and perfect will for such and such then ROADBLOCK it. Shut the door and lock it!”
I love that, Susan! I’ve been praying along those lines for something lately!
I definitely want to know which door to walk through. What a wise friend and neat story!
Thank you, Sarah. May He show you all the right doors. <3
I could tell you story along with all the others of God closing doors, the lessons learned, how to wait, how to listen, how to be discerning, how to gather wisdom, how to be joyful in those time, how to…well I could go on and on. We discussed this very thing in the bible study I attend, how to understand the will of God when it’s not your will which is a good will but not God’s. It reminded me of our year of trying to decide what country God wanted us to go to under New Tribes Mission. we were at a college mission week and tons of mission organizations had their booths set up. I stool looking at all of and God said in my mind, I have enough lost for all these mission boards. So we got moving with our schooling and the mission board ask us to go to Bolivia even though we had picked Papua New Guinea. Seven years in Bolivia and then we were ask to go to PNG…He does give us our hearts desires, we just wanted to serve Him overseas…great post.
PS just wanted to say I am still learning those lessons…but my confidence has grown in teh learning process of His ways instead of mine are so much better.
Oh yes. I’m still learning this as well, Betty.
Wow, that’s a great story, Betty. Thanks for sharing it. I guess God not only has the right doors for us, but also the right timing for each door. I love how He opened that door to PNG later.
We are at a similar place right now with our oldest daughter. She graduates from university in 2 weeks and she is still up in the air with details and where she goes next. In the last few days a good opportunity has opened up and she is walking through that door for now. We are like you in that we keep praying for God to open the right doors and the close the ones that are not right for her right now. We always want His best for our children and we just keep trusting and believing that He guides our lives.
Thanks for this encouragement! (Your neighbor at #HeartEncouragement)
Oh Rachel! You’re making me feel so much better! I didn’t mention it in this post, but my daughter is graduating THIS year, and we are praying for some doors to open for her. She was accepted at three schools, but now has decided she may choose the fourth! So we’re waiting…Praying now for your daughter and the right doors to open for her.
Your advice is spot on, as always, Betsy! God has been redirecting me with a few closed doors lately, too. And looking to see what His is opening and waiting on Him to make the way clear has been so fun! Just remembering that He is always at work for my good and His glory, is such a comfort when my plans go awry! Blessings! XO
I’m so thankful for the wrong doors God has closed in my life. Thank you for the reminder of those blessings, Betsy!
I’m thankful for the same, Crystal.
Yay for your son!! I know you’re a proud mama. 🙂 I love that phrase your friend shared with you about not knowing which doors to go through if God didn’t close doors. Years ago, I began praying for God to close doors, because I just didn’t want to be outside of His plan, and I didn’t trust myself and my desires enough to pick the right doors. I wonder sometimes if I pray harder for closed doors than I do for open ones, haha. Even so, closed doors can be hard on your heart at the time, can’t they? Loving this message of yours this week, friend. Hope your weekend is beautifully blessed. xoxo
Wow, that is a great prayer to pray. I’ve been praying it for my daughter as well, as she makes her decision about what school to attend in the fall. One open door. We really can’t trust ourselves, can we?
Stories like your son’s happen to us all the time. Our thing doesn’t happen and we grieve… only later we can look back to see the wisdom of God in keeping us from our “dream” and guiding us were we much more need to be. We need to remind ourselves of those past experiences and hang onto them when we face disappointments in the future. thanks for sharing!
Yes, Karen. So often looking back to see what God has done in the past encourages us when the future looks uncertain or disappointing. He always has our best in mind.
Your story reminded me of when my second son auditioned at a prestigious university and didn’t get in. It was a crushing blow, but it grew him tremendously. Two years later he returned wiser and sharpened. He made it in, gave it all he had and is now the worship pastor of a 25,000 member church with Michael Neal and John Maxwell as mentors. I always say, “waiting for gold in God’s time is so much better than settling for bronze in our time. Such a great reminder and encouragement to wait and trust!
What a great story, Crystal! My son as since changed his major to political science (with plans to apply to law school and carry on the 5+ generations tradition in our family). He rethought his desire to be a diplomat, and if he’d been at the other school, that changed major might not have been a possibility.
It’s so hard to see closed doors as guidance, not rejection. But amen to all this. God is never “in our way,” and when we think He is, that’s a good sign to turn. So glad for your’s and your son’s story. Too many to tell here- but one that stands out is where we’re living now. Basically, we were set to move in every respect except for having a place to live and the home search yielded shut door after shut door. The one we found open was really unexpected- but we know God gave us this place and looking back at those closed doors we are SO grateful for the wonderful place we have instead. Thanks for sparking memories and putting words to God’s leading, Betsy! : )
Thanks for sharing your story, Bethany. It reminds me of a time in my life when God shut the door on moving for us also. And now we look and see He had in mind for us to plant a CHURCH in the very neighborhood where we live (and have lived for 16 years).
I love the wise words of your friend! But also your advice to wait on God. Sometimes waiting is the hardest part. Oh, but when we do, and He opens the other door, how awesome it is to see His hand working in our lives! Thanks, Betsy!
You are right, Ellen. Waiting can be so hard! I know His hand is at work in you, friend!
Such an encouraging truth, Betsy! I recently said yes to something with a heavy heart (something I really didn’t want to do but felt I had no choice) while at the same time asking God for His help and wisdom. A week later the offer I had accepted was withdrawn. I hadn’t thought about it until reading your post but clearly, God was protecting me from moving through a door that He had not opened. I’m so thankful for His grace and mercy in my life! Thank you for sharing your story today!
Wow, so interesting that it was something you said yes to with a heavy heart. I’ve had those kind of experiences too, where you really DON’T want to do something, but just feel you cannot say no. So hard. I’m glad God intervened for you, friend.