I have had so many conversations with Christians who are looking for open or closed doors from God. And with myself included, many are afraid they will not walk through doors that are open or force their way through doors that were supposed to be closed. (by "afraid" I do not mean living in fear because God does not desire that for us. I just mean being in a moment of doubt when trying to make a decision.) I think it is safe to say that we have all had those moments of doubt when making a decision of whether this is from God, or I am acting on my own desires? I also think when the decision is a big one....like a career change, relocation, marriage and so on...there is nothing wrong with making sure you are hearing from God before you act on anything. The difference is, waiting too long out of fear and doubt.....or acting to quickly out of your own impulses. How do we know the difference? And I think the answer to that question is prayer. I don't mean prayer because a decision is coming up. I mean prayer long before the decision was ever on the table. How much time are you spending with God in your every day normal life? How much are you really praying God's will over your life...over your own desires? And I don't mean the kind of prayer where you are doing all of the talking. I mean TIME with God where you talk...and you listen. Or sometimes you just go before Him and simply listen. Letting Him know you are there out of obedience, desiring more intimacy with Him, desiring to know His will over your life. If this becomes an every day part of your prayer life, then when it is time to look for open and closed doors on those big decisions, you will already be used to how God moves in your life. To many times we only go to God about big needs, big decisions or big troubles in our life. Then we sit there wondering how we will know it is God. Will He send a sign that is so clear that I will know it is Him? Will He have someone come directly up to me and give me the answer I am looking for? Or will you simply already be at such a comfortable place with God that you will recognize the peace He gives you when the choices you are making are the ones that He desires for you? There is nothing better than the true peace that comes when we move in a direction in our life that we know God is pleased with. And once you start to let His will be the deciding factor for your choices, that peace will come more and more. So that when you do act upon your own fleshly desires (and at times we all do) the big red flag will be the lack of God's peace. This is how you will recognize God's open and closed doors for you life. (And don't let the enemy fool you...there is a difference between God' peace, and your own temporary happiness over a selfish decision. Again, living in that peace daily is the best way to be able to tell the difference between the two.)
Matthew 7:7 ("Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.") is a verse that I've seen people quote incorrectly many times to say that God will give you what you pray for. However, I couldn't disagree more. What I do believe this verse means is...God will provide for you when what you are faithfully praying for matches His will for your life. And by provide, I mean He will provide the closed doors when needed, and the opened doors too.
God, thank you for providing us with open AND closed doors. Thank you for having a will for our lives and allowing us to spend time with you so we will know what that will is. Help us to be obedient enough to walk the steps in life that you have designed for us, even when they go against our own fleshly desires. And thank you for the peace that comes from living out your desires for our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.
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