Devotion 1
Confronting Closed Doors
Acts 16:6-10
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia
and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word
in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of
Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,[a]
but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead,
they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in
northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia
and help us!” 10 So we[b]
decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us
to preach the Good News there.
God
has the power to open any closed door. And yet He may decide to let things that
seem important to us remain blocked. Why does the Lord allow doors to stay
shut?
•
Protection. He might be trying to keep us from making a mistake. On our
own, we may not have adequate knowledge to make right choices.
•
Redirection. God could be sending us on a new path. His plan might
include bigger opportunities, deeper satisfaction, more productivity, a season
of suffering, or an opportunity to glorify His name. The Lord closed doors in
Asia so that the apostle Paul would minister on the continent of Europe. His
obedience led to increased fruitfulness—the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica,
and Corinth—and to more knowledge for us through his letters to them. Though
Paul experienced much suffering, he also knew the joy of participating in God’s
work.
•
Testing. When God says “No,” our faith is tested, and we discover what
we really believe about Him and His plans.
•
Perseverance. When our path is blocked, we have opportunity to develop
steadfastness. Romans 5:3-5 tells us that we should actually “exult in our
tribulations,” because of the positive results the Lord will cause through
them.
•
Timing. Sometimes our Father places stop signs in our way to work out
the right timing for His will.
•
Disobedience. Past waywardness can affect future experiences and
blessings.
When
your way is stopped, look to God and seek His purpose for the interruption. How
do you respond to “no”?
Devotion 2
Responding to Closed Doors
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about
everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds
anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you
live in Christ Jesus.
Disappointments
can be hard to bear. One minute life seems to be on track for what we hope and
dream. The next moment our way is blocked. How do we respond when facing closed
doors?
If
our hearts are set on a certain course of action, we may convince ourselves it
is God’s will and push ahead regardless. We might send up a quick prayer asking
for His help or blessing, but mostly we just move forward. By manipulating
people or circumstances, we could get what we want but be outside of God’s
plan.
Another
response to a blocked path is to become emotionally upset. Then we face the
danger of operating out of our feelings and replacing a Christ-centered
perspective with a self-centered one. Strong emotions can be a temptation to
blame others—including the Lord. Anger toward Him can, in turn, lead us to rebel
against Him and His ways.
Godly
responses, on the other hand, start with waiting and trusting. When the Lord
blocks our way, we are to have faith in Him, taking time to assess the
situation, and praying for guidance. By asking the Spirit to increase our
sensitivity to the events around us, we will be able to notice any open doors.
Even if we find none, we are to live with hope, anticipating other doors of
opportunity in His perfect time. Thanking God for His work on our behalf is
essential, even at times when we lack understanding. Finally, remaining faithful
to what the Lord has called us to do is an important part of our
wait.
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