Years ago, God showed me three doors of opportunity. One door He told me would present itself and open, but He also told me I would not like the offer. One door I was pretty sure would not open, but I was hopeful. One door would potentially open much later, but ultimately the price of playing was more than I wanted to pay for the privilege.
What choices are you facing today?
All doors – even the one with the offer I did not like, were appealing on some level. I wanted them. I wanted a certain 2 of them badly. God told me to knock on them. When I looked closely, I recognized that none of them were God’s will for me. It would have taken a lot of struggling to make any of them work. Nevertheless, I needed to knock on them because I needed to see God’s will clearer, and I needed to take that journey.
Looking back, I can tell you that no matter how much I wanted what was behind door numbers one, two, or three, I am glad I heeded God’s plan. If it takes a crowbar to open a door, it’s not God’s will for you. He will provide for you, and He will open the doors for you.
The opportunities I have chased over the years have not ever panned out the way I thought. Only the opportunities God provided have been worth it in the long run.
What about ministry? The same is true there. No ministry effort is any good if God is not in it. It’s God’s plan for our life that we need to pay attention to. It’s easy to get carried away with the encouragement of friends, or the initial successes of any effort. But the plans are God’s not ours. We cannot assume that God will leave us in one place or one job or even in the same one ministry effort forever.
Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Acts 16:6-10
Notice that the Holy Ghost did not send them just anywhere. God had a plan for were He wanted them to be. Not every door is for you to open. Some doors are reserved for others.
LIFE APPLICATION
Today’s challenge is to accept that the plans that you may attach yourself to are not always God’s plans. Change is hard. When God brings it, it is for your best. We may not ever see the reason, but we can trust that God has a reason. As called, boldly go forward trusting in God and in His perfect will for you.