-When God Slams the Door-

I've locked myself out of the house so many times I've lost count.  There is nothing more frustrating than to come up to the front door and realize that it's locked and you can't get in.  There are 3 irresponsible reactions to this conundrum that I have tried in the past:

1.  Try to open the door myself.  

Push it, wiggle the handle, or put a shoulder into it.  Those always end up frustrating me more and hurting.  Why does it look so easy in the movies to break down a door?!

2.  Try to MacGyver the door open with something else.

Use a coat hanger, a butter knife, a magnet, or a screwdriver to "persuade" the lock open.  That just ends up messing up the door and the tools.  MacGyver can pick a lock with an avocado, an ice pick, and a snorkle.  However I, my friend, am not MacGyver.

3.  Blame someone else.

Why isn't anyone home?  Why don't we have a spare key?  Who locked the door in the first place?  Passing the blame never gets the door opened any quicker.

When God slams a door and locks it, we can have similar reactions.  We can try to force it open.  We can use other people or things in our lives to open it for us.  Or, we can simply blame God and others that the door closed in our face.

We can respond in a way that compounds our problems even more, or realize that sometimes a closed door can actually be a blessing or opportunity for us that we didn't even know was coming.

Sometimes a closed door protects us from making a huge mistake.  Sometimes a door is closed because God chose to open another one and we need some redirection.  Either way, focus on your response.  Try these the next time you're stuck standing on the doormat:

1. Ask God what to do.

Maybe you're pushing when the door clearly says "pull."  Ask God for some direction and the next steps.

2.  Be Faithful on the Porch.

Maybe God has you standing outside for a reason.  To teach you something, to deepen your relationship with Him, or to prepare you for what's on the other side before the door opens.  So be faithful where you are.  Faithfulness while you wait on the porch may be the very key to unlocking the door.