Waiting for the Right Door to Open
It’s natural to feel disappointed when a door of opportunity closes, but God will often prevent us from going forward when He wants to redirect our steps toward a wiser path. What shapes our journey is our reaction: Will we beat against the barred door or look for a new opening? Paul’s second missionary journey included a series of divine “no admittance” signs. He set out to visit the churches he had started across Asia, but the Holy Spirit led him away from city after city. Considering the apostle’s sense of urgency for the gospel, each closed door must have been deeply disappointing. Nevertheless, Paul kept traveling in search of a place to plant a new church, and at last the Lord opened the door to Macedonia. The new route led into key cities where there were major commerce centers teeming with dignitaries and traders who could carry the gospel farther and faster than the apostle ever could alone. The Bible tells us to trust in the Lord instead of our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) When we learn to follow the Spirit’s prompting — even past doors we hoped would open — He directs our steps through the right ones.
