Closed Doors?

Just a few thoughts today that's been running through my mind.

I was thinking that we sometimes think we know best about certain situations in life. But as things have come and gone in my life I know that God knows best! How many times did it seem a door was closed when we needed it opened? We may, with best intentions, decide upon a course of action, then find the way is blocked before us.

We know the Lord has led and guided us, unfailingly in the past. Does the road block mean we can just jump over it or go around it? We have never doubted God's guidance before, we know what it means to have the Lord's Presence with us and He has always provided. But now we find ourselves in a situation where we have no way to go. If we jump over or go around the roadblock we know danger is ahead.

Who is hindering our onward march? Paul wrote in 1Thessalonians 2:18

"Wherefore we would come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us! " Did not Satan hindered Daniel's prayer for 21 days? Daniel 10:12-13 "Then said he unto me, Fear not Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, Thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdon of Persia withstood me, one and twenty days: but lo,Michael, one of the chief prince, came to help me."

Sometimes a hindered prayer may be a roadblock. Satan will fight and make us believe there is no way out. If we try, within ourselves, we will miserably fail and get out of God's will. But, if we, with patience , will hold on and remember God is working in our behalf, we will come out victorious.

We need to know if this thing is from Satan or from the Lord. So that means we need discernment to decide the difference. No matter the roadblocks ~ we need to "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7 We need to be sensitive to the leadings of the Holy spirit in our lives. We are to keep on praying and with a heart toward God we will find that sooner or later, after seeking the will of God, why in His wisdom He closed one door only to open another. In this open door is the answer.

God's time may not have yet come, in whatever situation or roadblock you may have come against. But don't knock against the roadblocks. Just stop and know that the Lord has not forgotten you. He may be preparing you for something good. Your answer is on the way. Just rest in Him and let Him give you rest and peace that only the Lord can give. He will wotk the "situation" in your life out in such a way that you will be amazed.

God's hindrance is one method of His guidance.

Sometimes the lions' mouths are shut

Sometimes God bids us fight or fly;

Sometimes He feeds us by the brook;

Sometimes the flowing streams run dry.

Sometimes the burning flames are quenched;

Sometimes with sevenfold het they glow;

Sometimes His hand divides the waves;

Sometimes His billows overflow.

Sometimes He turns the sword aside;

Sometimes He lets the sharp blade smite;

Sometimes our foes are at our heels,

Sometimes He hides us from their sight.

We may not choose, nor would we dare,

The path in which our feet shall tread;

Enough that He that path hath made,

And He, Himself shall walk ahead.

The danger that His love allows

Is safer than our fears may know;

The peril that His care permits

Is our defence where'er we go.

Annie Johnson Flint