These days, I seem to wake often, with that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, feeling panicky and like I can't breathe. Some mornings when that happens, I lie there, repeating over and over, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." Also, "My God shall suply all your needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Things seem so confusing, like there is no way out, like I am enclosed in this tiny cage, and there is no way out! All I see is a wall of doors!!
A couple weeks ago, I was talking to the Lord about this, on my early morning walk (I still take those, every now and then! It ought to be every day, though! LOL!). I was telling Him, all I see are doors, closed doors, and no way out!!! I don't know what to do! I just want to give up!!
That morning, after I got home, I checked my email, and had received an email newsletter from Empowered Living Ministries:
Dear Wendy,
There it is, right in your face--a door that seems to be continually locked. You can't avoid it. You can't get around it. You can't get through it. It's just there, staring at you. It culd be a serious financial situation, a home burned to the ground, a marital separation or a divorce proceeding. It might be cancer, a loved one in a coma, a lawsuit or the death of a dream. Everything you try seems to fail. The doors simply do not open.
I don't know what your closed door might be--your issue, your situation, your need. Perhaps you are in a crisis that requires nothing less than a miracle. You pray over your locked door. But you haven't yet received an answer to your fervent prayers and petitions to the Lord. You might be tempted to feel that both the windows and doors of heaven shut. The heavens seem like brass and your prayers bounce right back at you.
God can open shut doors! Christ refers to Himself as HE THAT OPENS AND SHUTS DOORS! (Revelation 3:7) The synagogue of Satan suggests that God has shut every door and that He has lead us to a dead end, the He is indifferent to our dilemma. They suggest He isn't worthy of worship and faith.
But believers keep on trusting, waiting patiently for their God to put the key in their door and open it. His way of doing that surprises us. He doesn't always reverse our financial diffuculty or rebuild our house or repair our marriage. Faithful believers sometimes die, lose a lawsuit, or have to accept the death of their dreams. But God has the uncanny ability to take an irreparable situation--a shut door--and use it to open to us a whole new experience.
God holds the key to all shut doors. He hears your cry. He knows the timing, the very hour, to open your door. So never give up! Never doubt! Stand on His promise that "He will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) He assures you as you face your locked door, "Lo, I am with you always." (Matthew 28:20) He will not fail you. Hold on to Him! He cares for you!
Those doors are still all closed. I still don't know which one He will unlock and open for me. But I am determined to cling to Him, and wait on Him.
May this be of some encouragement to someone else, as well.
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