Open Doors

This past weekend, as I got out of my car to see a mosquito trying to get out. I left the door open for a minute to let it fly away. No matter how long I waited with the door open, it insisted on trying to fly through the closed window. It ignored the fact that the door was wide open providing escape, and instead kept smacking itself into the side window. Finally, I turned my car back on, rolled down the window, and the mosquito left. (A lot of effort for a common pest) I rolled my eyes and closed the door, not thinking much of it at the time.

Later in my day, a thought finally hit me. How many times am I so focused on my own plans, that I ignore the wide-open door that God has for me? For many of us who believe in Christ, we try to do our best with our eyes are set on Christ and what we can do to serve His Kingdom. Most of us don’t have bad intentions in our actions and dreams and yet sometimes it seems like we hit a brick wall. We often begin to stumble and panic at this immovable force. Just like the mosquito, we can see our goal on the other side. But, rather than look around, we fluster and try to force our way through an obstacle when God has another plan.

It’s hard for us to want to look around. We are so desperate (and often impatient) that we squirm and fight anything keeping us from our goal. Sometimes we get through, but many times we face hurt and frustration in the process. We cry out in confusion and frustration to God, asking us to help us. We may wonder if God has brought us to this point just to leave us to our own devices. Even the great Moses struggled with this. In Exodus chapter 5 early on in Moses’ story, God has sent him to free Israel from Egypt. But instead, Pharaoh increased their labor and made it harder on Israel so that the people turned against Moses. In frustration, Moses cried out to God “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” In the middle of the path God has laid out it can be difficult to see the end. Moses, like the mosquito, saw what God wanted to do through the glass, and yet he did not understand that there was a longer road to fulfil God’s purpose. What would it be like to travel back in time to Moses, at this moment… and tell him of the wonders God was going to do through him? Pillars of fire, parted seas, and mana from heaven… would you believe it? God may give you a clear goal, but sometimes a different path to get there that is far beyond what you could expect. He will open the door for us to achieve His goals, we have but to be surrendered to Him and open to his leading instead of set in our own ways.  

This week, if you are feeling like that mosquito-like you are hitting a wall and can’t understand why you can’t get to your goals I challenge you to look around and see what doors God might be opening up for you to achieve His goals. He may be helping you in ways you would have never suspected.

Ian Jeffries

Ian Jeffries currently serves on staff as the Youth intern at Westside Christian Church. Say hi to Ian on Sunday