Gentle Reader,
There’s a bird chirping merrily away just outside my kitchen window. I wonder what he’s singing about. Perhaps he’s enjoying the last spray of sunlight across his feathers. Maybe he’s just caught a fat worm.
Maybe he just likes to sing.
Linking up with Kate and the fabulous folks of Five Minute Friday.
Go.
Some doors are best left closed.
Really.
In my continuing quest for that elusive settled feeling, I often yank open long-closed doors. I want answers. I want to understand. I want things to make sense.
But sometimes there are no answers. Or there aren’t good ones. I don’t understand. Or can’t. It doesn’t always make sense. Less and less does the world operate on anything resembling a logical plane.
I want to close doors on my terms. I want to say, “Okay, I am done with this now.”
Trouble is, nobody operates on my terms. I don’t even operate on my own terms half the time. Thank God He knows me down to the last details and so knows why I self-contradict over and over again.
I’m learning that the Holy Spirit places neon “Do Not Enter” signs on doors that He doesn’t want me to go through. Their knobs stick and jam when I try to turn them. He tells me that only danger lies within. He reminds me that His counsel is best and wisest and always for my good.
We try for resolution. We want to bring things to an end in the best way possible. But that doesn’t always happen. Things get messy. People don’t cooperate. Fingers and toes get pinched in the jam as we push against the wood. Splinters prick our fingers. Sweat and tears roll down our cheeks.
Nevertheless, it closes.
We don’t always know why.
We’re not always meant to know why.
Sometimes we just have to walk away.
Leave the door closed.
Stop.
Yes!! I had to learn the hard way to leave closed doors alone! Great post, Marie.
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You and me both, Holly!
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Yes to trying to open the doors of understanding and yes to keeping them closed in peace and grace. Beautiful! Loved seeing you online tonight!!! Happy weekend!
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It’s hard to leave them closed and let things go. Least it is for me. Thankfully, the Lord is a patient instructor! It was nice “seeing” you and I hope you have a good weekend, too!
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Oh, such a good point! Sometimes there are doors that seem alluring, that I really want to find out what’s behind them, but the Lord doesn’t want me going there. Oh, to have the quietness of heart to listen to His voice!
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Oh, you hit on something there. “Quietness of heart.” We have to get still and intentionally listen. I struggle with that.
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Wow, Marie. A powerful post. It’s true. There are doors that we just need to leave closed. Sometimes, it takes as much trust in the Lord to leave it closed as it does to open a new door, doesn’t it? Loved your post!
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It takes deep wells of trust to believe that God always knows best, whether it’s opening or closing doors. Thankfully, He’ll dig those wells if we let Him!
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Very thoughtful post. So many situations in my life have no resolution save a closed door, and a question mark.
I have learned to walk away, but often an element of wistful wondering remains.
Here from FMF.
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I know that feeling all too well, Andrew. I suppose that’s why it’s important to operate based on what we know and not what we feel.
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My husband just talked about this in regard to a “friendship” I tried to reach out and for whatever reasons it never really went anywhere. I couldn’t figure out why, still don’t know why, other than my husband said. Trust. Trust that he is protecting you. Some doors are best left closed!
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I’ve so been there! Relationships are the toughest doors for me. I don’t understand why some close and why others stubbornly remain open when I want to slam and burn them. But I think you’re husband’s right – God protects us.
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OH, I’m a door-pry-er, too! But I’m with you in the journey. I’m learning to let some questions and mysteries wait until heaven.
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Won’t it be great to spend all of eternity asking our questions and learning? Won’t it be great to hear other’s stories and get all sorts of insight and understanding? I long for that day!
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Oh so true! Sometimes doors are indeed meant to be closed. That’s not easy to remember but God knows what doors to open for us. And by the way, thank you for your thoughts on my new blog header!
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“God knows.” I keep coming back to that. I keep hearing/seeing that everywhere. Maybe He’s trying to tell me something… 🙂
My pleasure with the blog design stuff! I enjoy that kind of thing.
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I think it is hardest for me to leave a door closed when I can’t understand why it was closed. But I am trying to learn that He has a reason for every door He opens and everyone He closes. Because He loves me I can trust that His decision is best.
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“Because He loves me I can trust that His decision is best.”
Amen, Amy. Amen.
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This is so true. I find this sometimes in relationships when I want to make things move forward or work things out and others are unwilling and they walk away. It is sad when we have to walk away from a door that won’t budge and we get hurt in the process. Thanks for these words of encouragement that even through the closed door God is still with us.
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Ugh, that’s so tough. So, so tough. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t run to God and tell on people when they hurt me.
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