One of the worst feelings in the world to me, is the feeling of being stuck. I absolutely hate when something impedes my progress. I think most people can relate. Human beings have this innate disdain for being stuck. We want to get to where we’re going as fast as we can.

If you’ve lived for any amount of time, however, you already know that things don’t always work that way. So many times we find ourselves setting out to do something – start a family, get a new job, start a business, go back to school, etc – but somewhere in the process we get stuck. In our minds we have it all planned out. We know what we’re called to do, and we run full force at it only to be met with a closed door.

One thing I have learned is that God doesn’t look at closed doors the same way we do. I believe the greatest perspective we can have is God’s perspective. The Bible says His thoughts are higher than ours in Isaiah 55:8-9 but in 1 Corinthians 2:16 the word tells us that “we have the mind of Christ.” If we would just renew our minds to think about closed doors the way God does, I believe we’ll see much less frustration and much more breakthrough in our lives.

God uses closed doors in three ways: to protect, to refine, and to redirect.

Protection

God will close a door when what we want will bring us harm and/or compromise our calling or relationship with Him. Will the new job you’re looking for make you too busy for Him? Will that man you’re pursuing lead you away from a life of purity and holiness? Many times, God will say “no” to what you want because He knows it will be a liability to you later.

Years before I met my husband I was involved with another man who literally swept me off my feet the first time we met. He was a fellow believer who was dedicated to his local church. He served in the community. He was intellectual, funny, and so FINE. We connected instantly and we both felt like we had known each other our whole lives.  I just KNEW this was God’s choice for me.  I was wrong. The Holy Spirit told me within 2 days of meeting him to cut him off. I was devastated. And I also didn’t listen.

That act of disobedience led me through 3 years of heartbreak. This man would not commit to me. We could never see eye to eye on where our relationship stood. He would stand me up on dates; shut down and not talk to me whenever I confronted him about his behavior; post pictures with other women but get possessive if I hung out with a male friend. I was so devalued in that relationship. It took me 3 years to finally say, “God, I’m so sorry. I should have listened when You said no the first time. I’m done.”

You see, what I thought was God holding me back was really Him trying to protect me from a three-year long situationship and a soul tie that took years to break.

Refinement

When God closes a door for us, the time we spend waiting for another one to open gives God space and opportunity to refine us. The waiting reveals impurities in our character and produces more of God’s character in us. When you’re forced to wait, God uses the rejection to produce more of His fruit in us. Maybe you need more patience, so he’s using the waiting to grow you in that area. Perhaps what you’re trying to step into requires greater discipline before you can handle it, so He’s using this time to develop you. It could be that your integrity juts isn’t where it should be. God doesn’t want your gift to take you somewhere that your character can not sustain you. You want a promotion, but you still gossip at work and have a short temper. He would do you a disservice to put you in a new, higher position that would only bring those negative qualities further into the light. Trust the process as you wait. Ask God to show you where you need to grow so that when you come to the next door, you’ll be ready to walk through it.

Redirection

God will use a closed door to force you to go another route that leads to something better.

In 2013 I was a brand-new college graduate working a part time job and struggling. I needed a fulltime job in the worst way. I was barely able to pay my bills and had some health challenges that I couldn’t afford to get taken care of because I didn’t have insurance or any money to pay for the procedures out of pocket.

I applied for a job at one of the major employers in my city and during prayer the Holy Spirit told me that I would certainly be working for that company. I ended up getting an interview with the company and doing extremely well on it. I was confident that I had it in the bag.

Some time passed by and they called me and offered me the job! I hung up the phone with the HR coordinator and immediately called my best friend to give her the news and while we were celebrating, I got a call on the other line. It was the HR coordinator calling me back telling me there had been a mistake: I had NOT gotten the job. Due to legal trouble I had gotten into in high school, I was ineligible to be hired by their company anytime within the next 6 years. Devastated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I was so hurt and confused. I was so sure God had told me that the job was mine.

That night as I was laid out on my floor crying, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to open my laptop. Reluctantly, I drug myself to my laptop and opened up my internet browser. My homepage at the time was Biblegateway.com and it always had a verse of the day on the home page. The verse on the page as I opened my laptop was Hebrews 10:35-36: So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.” Right there the Holy Spirit was telling me that the closed door was not the final answer.

To make a long story short, through a series of events that I can only attribute to God’s favor, I ended up getting hired at that company for a different position just a few months later. After I had been at the company for a few weeks I realized that the job I had initially applied for was nothing like what I thought it would be. It had less freedom than the position I ended up with as well as less opportunity for promotion and pay increases. I would have HATED that position. I’m so grateful that God closed the door to what I thought I wanted and re-routed me to a position I was able to thrive in.

The main thing I pray you take from this is a new perspective. I want you to understand that closed doors are not an issue for God. He has the power to open or close any door that is standing between you and what He has called you to do. Isaiah 43:13 declares it this way: “Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”.  There’s absolutely no circumstance, person, or entity that can stop God’s plan for your life. If He sent you out on a mission, He has the power to make sure you fulfill it. That means, if the door is closed, there is a reason. Go to God and ask Him what’s next. He is faithful to answer and faithful to see you through!