When God Closes A Door...
Written By: Emmanuella "Manny" Williams
I have always heard the saying… "When God closes a door, he opens a window” used throughout my lifetime. My interpretation of this quote was that God is not really saying “NO” to that particular thing but he is giving us another option. Like with my kids...You can’t have that cookie now but if you eat your entire dinner (including Veggies) you can have it as dessert. Well… I am embarrassed to say that it took a full 37 years for me to understand that when God closes the door that just means "No".
So recently, I have been struggling with a life change that God had made clear to me was a closed door, chapter, window, etc… in my life. Unfortunately, I just could not accept that. My prayers constantly sounded like… “So, hey God. It’s me again. I know that we covered this agenda item in our last meeting, but I just wanted to confirm that we were aligned on your decision for my life before I move forward with next step.” Of course, God, in is infinite mercy was not upset that I was praying about this for the 1,000,000thtime in a month (because I doubted him) but responded by confirming the 1,000,001 “No” through Sunday messages, bible verses, friends and even my kids. He was clearly telling me that this door will close soon and that I needed to make plans to move on. Just like Noah’s ark… this door needed to stay closed and I needed to decided where I would be… on or off the boat.
Slowly but surely, the time came when the door started closing. As I watched the door slowly creep closed, I saw what I interpreted as a “God Given Opportunity” and convinced myself that he was telling me to “Hold That Door”. Like a fool, I stuck my big foot of “doubt” in the little opening and pushed the door open again. My husband asked me so many times, are you sure this is what you want to do? So confidently, I replied “Yes, I think that this is what God is telling me to do." I was elated with my decision and never once doubted myself. It was only 4 days later that I understood why God was closing that particular door and I regretted not leaving just the way he intended for it to be…CLOSED.
I now wonder if I am missing out on the Windows that were going to start opening up for me because I am spending all of my energy holding this door open. Unfotunately, I look back on a few other times when I didn’t quite learn this lesson and maybe held on to a friendship, relationship, job, or any other person, place or thing longer than God intended. Although this has been a tough way to learn this lesson, I am hopeful that I have saved you from wasting the energy required to keep a door open too long and missing the blessing of an open window.
So recently, I have been struggling with a life change that God had made clear to me was a closed door, chapter, window, etc… in my life. Unfortunately, I just could not accept that. My prayers constantly sounded like… “So, hey God. It’s me again. I know that we covered this agenda item in our last meeting, but I just wanted to confirm that we were aligned on your decision for my life before I move forward with next step.” Of course, God, in is infinite mercy was not upset that I was praying about this for the 1,000,000thtime in a month (because I doubted him) but responded by confirming the 1,000,001 “No” through Sunday messages, bible verses, friends and even my kids. He was clearly telling me that this door will close soon and that I needed to make plans to move on. Just like Noah’s ark… this door needed to stay closed and I needed to decided where I would be… on or off the boat.
Slowly but surely, the time came when the door started closing. As I watched the door slowly creep closed, I saw what I interpreted as a “God Given Opportunity” and convinced myself that he was telling me to “Hold That Door”. Like a fool, I stuck my big foot of “doubt” in the little opening and pushed the door open again. My husband asked me so many times, are you sure this is what you want to do? So confidently, I replied “Yes, I think that this is what God is telling me to do." I was elated with my decision and never once doubted myself. It was only 4 days later that I understood why God was closing that particular door and I regretted not leaving just the way he intended for it to be…CLOSED.
I now wonder if I am missing out on the Windows that were going to start opening up for me because I am spending all of my energy holding this door open. Unfotunately, I look back on a few other times when I didn’t quite learn this lesson and maybe held on to a friendship, relationship, job, or any other person, place or thing longer than God intended. Although this has been a tough way to learn this lesson, I am hopeful that I have saved you from wasting the energy required to keep a door open too long and missing the blessing of an open window.