When God Opens One Door…

Has God ever opened a door, and the second you stepped through, another opened before you? If not, would you like Him to?

This was a subject I had not considered until 2022 began. Many will have read my previous blog post, Waiting In The Hallway, and so understand that I had a major door open in December of last year. I was overjoyed with that opportunity, and embraced it fully, never expecting what God would do next.

Yeah, you guessed it… another door opened, and then another. So many, that I couldn’t keep track. This forced me to pray to God for His direction, as I could not take on everything. Lord, which doorways are Yours for me to walk through, and which are the enemy’s traps to derail me?

The answer has not been black and white. Our paths rarely are straightforward; there are twists and turns, peaks and valleys, battles and victories. I’m old enough to have experienced each more than once.

So, rather than spreading myself too thin across multiple endeavours, my journalling revealed the thread of God’s leading. Those are the doors that I step through and, as I do, the ones not meant for me vanish.

This may seem impossible to those who do not have the gift of discernment, but you need only ask for it, in partnership with wisdom, for the two go hand-in-hand. Scripture makes that clear in:

1 Kings 3:11-12 (AMP) God said to him, “Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself a long life nor for wealth, nor for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to recognize justice, behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise and discerning heart (mind), so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall anyone equal to you arise after you.“

James 1:5 (AMP) “If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.”

Does that mean that my comfort zone has not been stretched? Of course not! God is always growing and developing our character, and the gifts He has given us, to use for His glory alone. No two people have the same gift mix, and so learning to work together as a body, without jealousy or competition, is the challenge of every believer. Indeed, with the days we find ourselves in now, it is crucial that we lay aside our pride and ambition and learn how to be His body.

How am I doing that? By following the doorways through which He leads me. In scripture, the foundations of a building are laid first, then the walls, and roof. Spiritual precepts build one upon the other, and so it is in life as you follow God. It is not usually apparent in the now, but only in seeking Him, or in hindsight where His fingerprints and footsteps are clearly visible.

What’s that you’re asking? Am I afraid of stepping into the unknown? Oh, I’ve battled my fears and will battle a few laying dormant still, but fear is never from God. Fear is always a stumbling block put in your path to stop you from fulfilling your destiny. Rebuke it and move on, trusting in God’s Sovereign will.

I have learned to go with the flow of the Holy Spirit, and He can lead you into some unexpected experiences. For instance, my boss posted a link to a live TV show she was being interviewed on. I wanted to watch live, so I clicked on the link and found myself suddenly LIVE on a TV show being streamed on multiple sites, not as an observer, but as a participant.

Did I want to retreat? For a split second, but I refused. Instead I laughed, shook my head, took a few deep breaths, and did the best I could in the situation. I trusted that God had His reasons. That night ended up being a lot of fun. God’s presence and blessing were made manifest. I may never know the extent of it, but I was obedient and that’s all that matters.

Let me encourage you to do the same. When you step through a doorway you weren’t aware of, trust God for the outcome, and relax. Be yourself… the one God created as the apple of His eye, and kick the fear of man to the curb. Ours is only to obey our King, He gets the all the glory anyway.