Strength to Embrace yet another Closed door

“It is God who arms me with strength.” 2 Samuel 22:33

What are some of the biggest closed doors in your life? Things look like they are going well and then a door closes on a job, relationship, or dream. I have experienced the door closing on all of the above multiple times.

After graduating with my Masters in Education from Vanderbilt University, everything looked like I would get a job with a school that I was really excited about but then the door closed. The friendships formed during a long-term substitute position and experiencing the joy of the student’s growth and peace that I was right where God wanted me made the loss of this opportunity more painful. What I did not understand then, but I do now is: a closed door may be the best thing in the world because you are open for an even better opportunity.

I was too young and inexperienced to understand that the principal was not offering me the job because he did not think I would work hard or be successful but because he saw my other gifts and strengths that would be better suited in a more creative role. Less than a year before I experienced a broken engagement. I made a tough decision to end an engagement, stay in Nashville instead of moving to Texas, and not return for a final interview with the number one school district in Texas. Holding the loss of my engagement still close to my heart caused me to take the feedback as rejection, and I did not make changes based on the principal’s insights. So, this is what I learned over the years dealing with doors closing more often than I would like.

– Truth is often misinterpreted as rejection. Also, ask yourself what is true in the feedback that you are receiving even if it is painful.

– Seek a couple of close friends or family members and mentors to help you assess the truths and create an action plan to make changes. If you are young and do not have mentors yet, then seek out a couple of mentors.

– Closed doors develop perseverance and endurance to face difficult circumstances without allowing them to crush you.

– Closed doors are often God’s provision and protection because no good thing does God withhold from those whom He loves.

– Some closed doors are meant to be broken down but not just yet. So, do not give up because you never know when you are close to a break through.

– Many doors are very heavy; therefore, you need the wisdom and strength that only comes from maturity, making a lot of small steps in the right direction even when you do not see the end in sight nor any open doors.

– Make room for God’s mystery because He prepares people in unexpected ways with diverse experiences to accomplish His unique plans for their lives.

-Mary Carmen

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