"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake" - Psalm 23:3
Have you ever wanted something so badly that the idea of God not doing it for you never even entered into your mind? Have you ever prayed, fasted, and stepped out on faith only to have the door slammed in your face? Well I have, and let me be the first to acknowledge this one truth everyone seems to shy away from...IT HURTS! It hurts when you feel like God did not give you the one thing you so earnestly desired. But allow me to let you in on one little secret; if God shuts a door, He does it so that He can point you in the direction of another one. He blocks door number one because while what lay behind the door may seem like it's good for you, He knows this door is not His BEST for you! His ultimate desire is for you to walk in His perfect will and experience His very best in every area of your life!!!
We often think of God leading us as Him speaking every direction into our spirit, but sometimes His leading comes in the form of a denial. He didn't allow you to get the $15/hour job, because he knew He had already prepared the $30/hour position. Your first record contract fell through because He knew the record label was filled with crooks and thieves! Your first business failed because God saw the direction you were headed in was not His plan for your future. Even in God's denial or blockage of what appears right in our own eyes, He is leading us to the prepared place which contains the blessings He has stored up for us!
It's easy to recognize His leading when it comes in a way you can understand, so let's start by understanding this...in all things God is leading you towards the path that was designed for your greater good. He loves you and desires to see you whole and complete. Instead of shedding tears when the next door slams shut in your face, understand that is God's way of letting you know that door was not His best for you! I am learning to stop crying over closed doors that are at best sub-par, and start looking for the doors that God is trying to lead me to! In all things, He leads me!
This is not an easy process because it requires a re-programming of my brain. It requires a consist reminder that the pain and disappointment that often accompanies a closed door is a humanistic reaction to a spiritual decision. We know God's ways are not our ways, yet we often expect Him to prepare things the way we would prepare them. When we want to teach our children a lesson, we often sit them down and talk to them. We express what we want them to learn and expect them to just "get it". God however, understands that in order to truly learn a lesson there must be some sort of application of the knowledge gained. This means when you hear a word from God concerning your future, there has to be some sort of corresponding action to put that word into practice. When it is time to begin making the steps towards positioning ourselves to receive what it is that God has spoken, we try to act based on how we "think" the plan should go. We often forget His ways are not our ways. So instead of rejoicing when He leads us by closing all of the wrong doors, we listen to the negative thoughts and ideas presented by our limited humanistic understanding rather than relying on the truth of His word! Instead of rejoicing at the closed door, which by the way is a beautiful example of the process of elimination, we become sad and disappointed. I am attempting to grow into a place of maturity that will enable me to recognize the closed doors as a sign of God's process of elimination. When the wrong doors are closed around me, eventually I will be left with the right door! As this lesson is learned (through practical application) I will then be ready for God to simply point to the door and I walk right through it!
If you are tired of the emotional roller coaster that comes along with closed doors, I encourage you to go to God and ask Him to give you personal revelation of how and where He is leading you. In all things, His desire is for your best life here in the earth and after you take your final breath. Following His leading even in the painful places, puts you in a position to live as He originally intended...perfect and complete, lacking nothing!!! Stay in the process. The closed doors do not feel great, but eventually you will learn how to be guided to the right door the first time around!
