Closed Doors

Today, I received an e-mail from my aunt entitled "Thank God for Closed Doors." Ironically, this has been something that has been on my mind and heart for a few weeks now, so I thought this was the most appropriate time to share.

Many times in life, we, as flawed human beings, like to blame our so-called "failures" on many different things. Sometimes, as Christians, we blame Satan. Other times, we blame other people for our problems. In the black community, we often blame the government, the media, or white people in general for our issues. And while sometimes, our gripes are valid, most times they stem from either a lack of personal responsibility or a lack of proper perspective.

The truth of the matter is that if we were to accurately identify the causes of our so-called failures, we would recognize that they really aren't failures at all. The loss of a job, failure of a business, a wayward son or daughter, and any other negative in our lives can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.

As long as you're still alive and breathing, there is always a chance, an opportunity, to turn your negatives into positives, and your failures into successes. Most times, when we face adversity, we are quick to blame our circumstances on something other than ourselves.
We all have problems, and we all have issues that we deal with, but the thing that separates winners from losers in life is how they react to the trials and tribulations they face.

Mistakes, failures, trials, and tribulations are nothing more than veiled opportunities, opportunities to learn, to grow, and to become better. Sometimes, when it seems like doors are closing in your life, it is God's way of telling you to take a different route, to change your direction, that the way you are heading is not the way that He wants you to go. But so often, we look at negative situations in our lives as signs of failure rather than signs of opportunity, and that is the wrong perspective to have.

Recently, I had a door close in my life. It was totally unexpected. I didn't know why it closed. I didn't know what I was supposed to do next. But through it all, I knew that God had something better planned for me. And indeed, He did. My closed door was simply God's way of telling me that my time was over there and that it was time to move on and move forward.

So when the deck seems stacked against you, your back is to the wall, and it seems like a door is closing in your life, don't take it as a negative. Don't have a pity party and have a "woe-is-me" type of attitude. Rather, take that closed door as a sign that God has something better in store for you, that it is time to change directions and change perspective, and truly see what He is trying to do in your life.

Learn from your mistakes, use them to grow, and keep moving forward. "[For] we know that all things work together for the good of those who love [God], who have been called according to His purpose." ~ Romans 8:28

God bless,
J.W.