The Helpfulness of Closed Doors

Years ago I had a meeting at a church I had never visited. It’s parking deck was massive. As I neared it, the first entrance was roped off. Then the second, third, etc. When I reached an open gate, I turned in and landed right where I needed to be. I was thankful someone had bothered to rope off the other entrances.

It helped me understand why God closes doors. It’s often in hindsight that we see the direction they provide. In our life stories, a lot of time may pass between closed doors. If we are living for Christ, we won’t be as quick to force things, but will wait for Him to direct us. Isaiah 26:8 says,

“In the path of your judgments,

O LORD, we wait for you;

your name and remembrance

are the desire of our soul.”

Sometimes it looks like closed doors are keeping us from something we should have, a ministry opportunity, or somewhere we want to be. But we must believe Psalm 84:11b,

“No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.” 

Deuteronomy 1:33 describes God as the One who goes before us to show us the way we should go.

That visit years ago was to train through HeartBound Ministries in hopes of teaching in prisons. The doors kept closing, and I couldn’t understand why. Then a friend knew someone who ended up in jail and asked me to mail him an Abide in Him study. Ever since, we’ve sent countless studies into jails and prisons all over! I wanted to go in personally, but God had a better plan to reach more with His Word. He can be trusted and His plan is best!