What to Do When God Closes a Door – Part Two

Acts 16: 6 – 10

Have you ever had a vision vanish, a dream die, an aspiration expire, or an ambition annulled? Have you ever had your hopes dashed? Has God ever said “NO,” when you wanted Him to say yes?

Has there ever been a time when you thought you were really doing God’s will and God shut and barred every door you desired to have open?

Has there ever been a time when you saw your plan fold only to see God’s will unfold?

Sometimes God has to lead us to a closed door in order to create within us a willingness to follow Him to another door, the right one. Barred doors can be a blessing in disguise.

In the above text Paul asserted that he wanted to go East toward Asia. He wanted to go to Bithynia for a good reason. He wanted to go preach the gospel. What a noble intent! Notice in verse 6: “…they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit…” God said no. Why?

God always knows more and has stronger love than we. He can see what we can’t comprehend.

On a flight returning from the Bible Land much to our dismay our flight went into a prolonged holding pattern. Amid complaints the flight attendant explained we were in a holding pattern to avert a storm over our desired destination.

He put us in a holding pattern. I didn’t want a holding pattern. He put us in a holding pattern for our good. Why? Because he knew more than we knew and was concerned for our welfare.

Sometimes God puts us in a holding pattern. Why? Because He knows more than we and He wants us to make our connections safely.

God put Paul in a holding pattern. He wanted to go to Asia and God said “NO”. Why? God knew more than Paul and He wanted him to make his connections.

Has God ever put you in a holding pattern? Why? Because He knows more than you and is concerned for your welfare. He wants you to make your connections.

God said, “Paul, Asia is out. Macedonia is your route. Don’t go East, go West, that’s the best.”  Why? Because there were some connections about which God knew and Paul didn’t.

God knew Asia would not be open to the gospel.  Macedonia was on route to all the fertile fields of Europe. Beyond Europe was the mission field of England and Scotland. God knew what not even Columbus knew when he ventured westward. The door to the East was closed. The door to the West opened and eventually the gospel brought to America a land not even known of at the time God closed the Eastern door. Thank God He pointed Paul in the right direction.

How do you suppose Paul felt at the time it happened? Probably very much like us when God closes a door on us, frustrated.

Can we learn from Paul’s experience? Can we learn to trust God when confronted by closed doors?