Open Doors

If He opens a door are you ready to walk through it or will you slam the door as quickly as you can?  A question asked through the teaching this past Sunday. 

Lately God has been speaking to me a lot about evangelism and sharing His good news.  This Sunday we were taught about readiness and a part of that was a readiness to share the gospel. 

I found myself in the Y locker room Monday after school.  My goal was a short, quick run so that I could get on with everything else I had planned that evening.  As I put my belongings in a locker I overheard a high school girl say that she couldn't wait to be older, but it wasn't until her friend responded with this that my heart broke open wide:

"So you can starve yourself for real?  Well not for real, but you know, so you don't have to hide it anymore?"

In the moment I was shocked.  I couldn't believe that these were the kinds of conversations teenage girls were having in a public Y locker room.  Even after all the tender words that God had whispered to me about sharing His good news, after a powerful reminder to walk in readiness to share God's heart for His people, I missed it. 

I walked out of the locker room and went on with my day.  Later I realized I had slammed the door.  God had put me there at that moment to hear those girls with so much shame and hurt and I did nothing. 

We all fall short of the glory of God and I definitely fell short.  Thankfully God forgives us—even when we miss it big. 

Like Shawn Bolz says in “Translating God”:

“God isn’t looking at our current weakness or lack of righteousness as a disqualifier, but he sees what we would be like if we followed him with our whole heart and loves us that way.”

Thank the Lord!  Even when I find rest in being forgiven I want to learn—I want to grow.  I want to leave this situation with a burning passion to not miss another door.  To have my eyes wide open to see. 

David tells us in Psalm 16:

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

He is making known to us the path of life.  Even in seasons of waiting when we feel that we don't know up from down and we can't see the next step, He has a path set before us. 

As I looked out the window I saw a gust of wind blow snow off the roof and suddenly it had direction.  Wind is something that we have faith it's there even when we can't see it.  In a moment the wind carried the snow and it had shape.  I could see the wind.  I believe that God is blowing shape into every avenue of our lives.  In His perfect timing He is giving vision to see the unseen path set before us.  Just like the wind, we need to have faith that His plan is always there and that He will give shape to it at the perfect moment.

His direction and the path of life include people that need to hear the good news!  I want to have eyes to see who He is putting in my path. 

Shawn Bolz also says:

"...discernment is merely a conversation starter...you cannot stay at your starting point.  God has given you discernment so you can pray and get his spiritual perspective...For everything you discern, there is a deeper, more original thought about it in God's heart."

In all honesty I have no idea what I would have said to the girls in the locker room, but I guarantee if I had had the readiness to seek beyond my own discernment, God knew what He wanted to say.  He provided a door and He was ready to share His heart. 

I am one member of His body, and this is definitely an area that I have fallen short—but I don't believe I'm the only one.  I think God wants His church to wake up to the people He is placing in our path, because He is placing them there!  He is revealing to each of us every step of the path of life in His timing and for His purposes.

I want to be able to say like David did in the very next Psalm (17):

"My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped."

Let's seek to see and then listen to hear.  Seek to see the path and the people before you and don't forget to listen to hear His heart for His people.  We are messengers and He is ready to use messengers that are open vessels to what He has to say. 

Are we ready for the open doors?  Because they are coming—Praise the Lord, open doors are coming!