Do you ever feel stir crazy? Like you’ve been stuck in the house for so long because it’s dreadfully hot out, or raining for weeks, or cold as the dickens, and you just can’t watch one more re-run or one more reality show without pulling your hair out?

It might actually be more exciting to watch paint dry.

We’ve all been there. Feeling like a cage animal. Ready to plot and execute our escape. There’s so much pent up energy that we’re ready to burst out on the scene. Any scene. Just get us out of here already!

We don’t like being restricted. We don’t like being stuck behind closed doors when life worth living is out on the other side.

Sometimes these pent up feelings emerge as the doors of opportunity close on us and the storms of real life begin to swirl. Dark walls close in around us. Adrenaline rushes as our options blow away. And pangs of fear and desperation pulse through our veins. Escape is our only hope of survival.

Other times fiery emotions surface in the heat of temptation. We can’t handle the tantalizing allure. We know what we should do but it’s not what we want to do. And it’s easy to start justifying our actions as an acceptable desire to experience life to the fullest. We can’t escape now anyway. Even if we wanted to.

Two completely different scenarios: Opportunity and Temptation

With one thing in common: The door representing options is closing.

Tomorrow we’ll go behind the closed doors of temptation. Today let’s focus on the closing doors of opportunity.

Opportunity. When the door of opportunity begins to close, our first reaction is to jam our foot in there to stop it. We can’t see what’s ahead. We can’t handle any more turmoil. Many times we feel like “this” is our only option. A job we can’t afford to lose. A relationship that keeps us from being alone. “This” is better than nothing. And when “this” comes to an end, we’re left in a state of complete panic.

But the truth is that there’s always one more option. Turning to God. He is our provider. He is in control. He knows the rest of our story. And He always has something else planned for us. So when one door closes, it’s not the end. We don’t need to escape. We’re at a new beginning.

God will open up another door.

It may not be simultaneously. And life beyond the new door may not look exactly the same as our old life. But in the end it will be far better, as long as we open ourselves up to new opportunities and embrace the possibilities God offers.

With opportunity, there’s always an open door policy. A next door will be opening. But there are two important questions. First, what door will be opening? We can’t always predict what door will open, but if we’re learning to follow the Lord, it will be the right door. Second, will we be ready to go through it? If we stay in step with God, He will lead us to the new door in His perfect timing.

How do we follow God and stay in step with Him?

Jesus says, “Knock and the door will be opened.” That doesn’t mean knock once on your closed door and then go pout in the corner of life because the door didn’t open up again. What Jesus means is keep knocking on His door. Keep coming to Him. Get to know Him through His Word and prayer. And let the time of waiting be a time of renewal. Then He will take your hand and lead you to the next door. And what joy there will be when it opens into a new season of life!

When the door of opportunity closes, turn to God and trust Him to show you the next door that will open. It will be the right one.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

May I pray?

Jesus, we don’t like when doors close in our life. We don’t like forced change. We’re not prepared. We’re already tired and worn out. We can easily feel frantic and defeated. Lord, help us come to You first instead of running around trying to find another door to go through right away. Please help us to knock on Your door and sit with You for a while. Then we’ll be ready when You show us the door to our next season. Amen.

Q4U: What door of opportunity has closed in your life, and what step can you take today to turn to God for help?