And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28
It didn’t make sense to me. God was telling me no, but it seemed like He was telling everyone else yes. I thought I was ready for the promotion I’d prayed for at work, but it turns out God had something else for me. What I originally interpreted as rejection became the provision for me to work smarter, dig deeper into the strategic side of the business, and hone my focus. I later received a promotion that was much better suited to my gifts, personality, and skill set. But without the “not yet” packaged as a “no,” that door would have never opened.
I’ve discovered that many of the answered prayers I am most thankful for are the ones to which God said no or not yet.
The circumstances that felt like closed doors at the time were, in fact, the hallway to the open door I didn’t know I was searching for.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember there is so much we don’t know and so little we can see from our finite point of view. This is especially true when we feel like we’ve been wandering in the wilderness for longer than we’d hoped, or that our prayers are falling on deaf ears.
God is not surprised by the fear that uncertainty can bring to our days.
When a job promotion doesn’t happen, when financial stress looms large, when a relationship seems too hard, or when a season of struggle seems to linger too long, lean into the infallible Word of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you personalize it right where you are.
- His Word meets you in the thick of every situation — both the hard and the happy.
It also helps you remember that He’s equipped you not just to survive this season but to thrive in every season.
Here is a certainty you can stand on this week: every open and closed door is a gift when the Shepherd is leading you. As you enter His presence, invite a spirit of calm and remind your soul of this truth, even when it feels hard to believe: God is using every open and closed door for your ultimate good. Not a short-term, shortsighted version of good but an everlasting, ever-present, undeniably beautiful kind of good — the kind of good you crave. That is what
He has for you this week. Will you trust Him with it?
Declare Over Your Week:
- I will believe that God is working all things for my good and His glory by opening and closing doors.
- I will put on the full armor of God every day.
- I will read the Word and lean into the Spirit for the true definition of good.
- I will ask for joy, hope, and peace when I need them — confident that Jesus hears me and He will provide.
- I will praise God for the week ahead, knowing He is in control and He always operates in love.
Excerpted with permission from Revive: Declarations of God's Truth to Renew Your Spirit by Cleere Cheery Reaves, copyright Cleerely Stated, LLC.
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Your Turn
Have the doors that God has closed left you confused or upset? What if God’s doing something better than what you’ve asked for? What if His plan is for the very best? Can you praise Him even in disappointment for His better plan? ~ Devotionals Daily