Have you ever felt like you were living your life to the fullest and then out of nowhere a door slams shut?
This door was part of your life. It was a familiar. A door you had walked through over and over. But then one day, BAM it shuts. And when that door closed, it rattled your whole life. I’ve been there.
I didn’t understand what was going on.
I was leading a ministry — a growing one! I loved those I was working with. Loved the church I was at. It was comfortable. The team I worked with was great. I knew I could count on them for events and extra activities. I ran hard. There was much to do and I enjoyed every minute.
Then in a flash, in a set of unforeseen and weird circumstances, that season ended. God closed that door quickly. The ministry was gone. The church was gone. The door slammed shut!
I ranted. I cried. I questioned. I didn’t understand. I doubted who I was. What I was called to do. I wanted the door to open again so I could be comfortable. I wanted my routine.
Learning from Noah.
In Genesis 6 & 7, God asks Noah to build a boat. That’s pretty crazy in and of itself. Of course, Noah followed through. He did everything God asked although he’d never seen rain. Noah was in a season of building for 120 years. He was a carpenter building a large boat to keep eight people alive during the world’s flood.
The season of building ended when God called Noah and his family into the boat as it started to rain. Have you ever wondered what Noah thought when the rain began? If he thinks anything like me it would have went something like,
God, I’m not ready for this. What if this thing called an ark doesn’t float? What if it’s only a little shower and we look like fools? I still hard work to do before we set sail. Lord, maybe I heard you wrong. Maybe we should just exit the boat and see what happens.”
Scripture tells us “then God shut the door!” I’m sure I would have been freaking out. Maybe even having a panic attack over the fact that I was stuck in a situation with no way out. Mercy – how I love being in control. When God closes the door it is a gentle reminder of how little we are in control.
God had to shut the door.
Maybe in Noah’s case, he was fixing to drag out the life boats and try to do it on his own so God had to intervene. Or maybe Noah was concerned about all those that were going to be lost in the flood and could’t bare to shut the door himself. I’m not sure — but what I’ve learned in my life is that sometimes God has to slam the door shut to get me where He wants me.
Had God not slammed the door shut in my own life, I wouldn’t have been forced to seek Him for what was to come. I would have kept on living in the crazy hectic chaos of days building what I knew to build.
God closing my door forced me into a new season. I wasn’t where He needed me to be so he arranged the move. He needed me available to be used by Him in different opportunities that were to come.
Shut doors come in many fashions.
When my door slammed, it was a door of ministry that led me to a new way of life. A way not marked by hustle and long days, but full of grace and fresh air. There are other areas of our lives where God often shuts doors to move us where he needs us.
Have you ever had God shut the door for you? Did you panic?
Did it lead you somewhere new?
Thank God for shut doors! I’ve had a few rock my boat and boy, am I glad!
It’s funny how in the moment I felt like my life was falling apart. I wondered where God was. I kicked and screamed, but today — I wouldn’t trade that closed door for anything. Love where God moved me and the new work He did on my heart. Yep — glad He rocked my boat!
Oh yes indeedy, and in a big way. There was a time not long ago, when a longtime career began to slip away. I kept digging my claws into it, trying to hold on. Now I can see that God had other plans; instead of allowing me to remain in a place where oppression was thick as the London fog, He had me dancing out of Egypt. I think that might be the title of my next book project :) Thank you Alene, you are always spot on with your timely messages from the Lord. Happy New Year!
Oh girl — I love Dancing our of Egypt!!! What a great title and a way of life. Praying we can all dance out of the fog in the new year. Blessings.
Hi Alene
Oh yes, I know what you are talking about. About 8 years ago I was diagnosed with Fm/ CFS and Pappa God used this illness to close the door of my life as I knew it. Yet, He opened the doors of His heavenly Kingdom and allowed me to enter into His presence from where I never want to depart again … not even for a healthy body. What a great God He is … filled with wisdom beyond what we can even think or hope to understand! Nice meeting you at Barbie’s. I like this new link!
Much love XX
Mia
When God shut the door it was for protection. This makes me think of the preservation of God — how sometimes I try and kick down the very door that God is using to keep me safe. Wow! This was a word in due season! Love you!
Oh friend, such wisdom here. I often throw a fit sitting before a closed door. But, I am slowly learning to give thanks for those doors that remain shut. He is the Protector God and He only leads me into His perfect will. Thanks for linking up!
Hi Sister! I haven’t been over in way too long. Yes, I have been in a very similar situation. I also was doing life with people, loving the ministry with friends … everything was coasting right along — then BOOM. Due to other people’s choices things fell apart. It rocked my world to say the least. Here I am going on 8 years later …
Thanks for sharing that scripture about Noah. I don’t know why I haven’t noticed that before.
Have a super blessed Sunday Alene!
Love,
Beth
Shutting the door, lifeboats, Noah…I would be the one wanting to pull out the lifeboats. Trying to do it my own way. And yes, he shuts the door to save me from myself.
Beautiful post…thank you.
Sometimes the way I have perceived it is that HE didn’t shut the door, automatically, but someone/somehow things were broken through or destroyed in ways we would never expect, but HE opens other doors for us and puts us on paths and roads and through the doors where we can share and minister again. He nudges me, and, yes, closes doors sometimes, but doesn’t usually slam them shut unless I’ve not been paying attention to Him as was what He had been asking me to do. I’m usually simply very grateful that He uses me, in spite of the “door” issues. Walked through so much in so many years. Glad He always opened another one, no matter WHO the source of closure was. He’s a kind and gracious Father.
Yesterday the back door literally slammed in front of me and I was shaken and trying to figure out why it was. Made me question myself and what I was doing or had been saying. The wind went away as fast as it had arrived to push the door. Complete stillness. I will never forget the jolt I felt!!
Ok so last night in a vision I saw smoke rolling towards me(mabe Gods glory smoke) and I think my husband was in the dream with me, and all of a sudden the white smoke like raced at us.. and BAM!!!! Slam of a door..freaked me out..I’m not sure what it means..guess Ill find out..buit the slam was HUGE!!!