If you have any familiarity with recent Disney fads their most recent animated film “Frozen” boasts a song titled these very words.
“All my life has been a series of doors in my face [….] Love is an open door!” exclaims red-headed, teenage heroine Princess Anna. She sings these words after what seems like years of longing for a deep, loving connection to someone. Her desire for love is without a doubt at the forefront of all her thoughts when we first meet her. As much as I love the catchy tune, I have to disagree vehemently with this quirky Disney princess.
In my life, I have come to find that love, God’s love, is more likely to come with a CLOSED door. That’s right, my life sings the song, “Love Is A Closed Door”. Closed doors are sometime the greatest way God can show his love to us. Closed doors are often God’s loving way of saving us from ourselves. Saving us from sometimes lesser dreams we have that God can see far beyond.
God’s love has been revealed to me on more than one occasion through a closed door, through a heavenly “No” so to speak. But why a closed door? How can that be an expression of God's love? Here are my thoughts. Closed doors divert our attention back to God. Whether it's with pleasure, hurt, or total disappointment... when we see something we want close in our face we turn to ask God why. I have often found myself in a sort of desperation and panic at the sight of a closing door taking away what I deeply desire. Often it is only when I find myself farther down the hallway that I can look back and see that closed door with the right perspective. Looking back I see how many other open doors and windows I would have missed out on had that door not closed. In my life, I have seen some of my greatest hurts and losses... but a few doors down is when I have experienced some of the greatest blessings in my life.
I believe my God is a God of love and wouldn’t close a door if it wasn’t out of love for me. Sometimes there is a painful lesson to be learned. Sometimes that closed door feels like the ultimate loss. Closed doors hurt, but they are not the end. ALWAYS, when God closes a door, I believe it is because he has something far better for us waiting a few steps past it. Most of the time though, we spend far too much time staring at that closed door, questioning why it is closed, and not looking ahead to see what else incredible God has planned.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
2 Corinthians 12:9a
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”