Thank God for the closed doors too

There’s always something about closed doors that we inherently dislike. Most of us have a presumption that open doors in life are opportunities, progress and blessings, whereas closed doors are the exact opposite. Everyone would love to choose an open door. But still, somewhere in life, we’ve experienced closed doors. And staring at that slammed or shut door hurts. When you’re steering through a season of closed doors, it’s hard to have hope, and every closed door feels like a letdown from God. It is at such moments where we begin to question His goodness.

Yet, the thing is that there is both power and purpose in closed doors too. While everyone loves to rejoice when God opens doors, we forget that it takes just as much strength to close a door as it does to open one. Therefore, closed doors are just as valuable as open doors.

When the doors close, we might make an effort to open them without realizing that they were shut for a purpose. In a sense, we knock harder, push and tug, and even climb through the windows anticipating the “open door.” Though much to our surprise, the doors slam shut for good.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

God will shut the door on some things in your life so you can’t go back to them. Thank God for the shut doors. Like for the children of Israel, He will close the Red Sea so you can’t go back to bondage. He’s protecting you, so thank God for the friends that rejected you, for the people that said ‘No’, for the people who walked out on you. Every time God shuts a door, it means that He has something better for you.

No one can close the door that God opens (Revelation 3:8) and no one can open the door that He closes (Isaiah 22:22).

Doors opening and closing can be compared with God’s responses for prayers – Yes, No, and Not Yet:

1. Yes = Doors will open when you ask and pray honestly without sinning (Matthew 7:7; James 4:2-3).
2. No = Doors will shut because God has another plan for you (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36).
3. Not Yet = Doors will open in the right time (Ecclesiastes 3:1), e.g. Paul and Silas prevented from preaching in Asia because their calling was in Macedonia at that time (Acts 16:6-10).

In the end, when faced with our next closed door, we will realize that in the Christian walk, closed doors are just as important as open doors.

Has God closed any doors for you recently? If so, think on which open doors He may want you to focus on during this time.