When One Door Closes
Moving On and Making Peace with the Past
“When one door closes, another one opens.”
Sometimes doors close gently. As one season comes to an end, it lingers for a moment, looking back with a wink and a whisper, “Goodbye and godspeed!” As the door slowly closes behind us, there’s ample time to say our goodbyes at the going away party. We eat the cake, celebrate the season, and wave with tears of joy—bittersweet.
But sometimes the door slams shut in our face. We’re left out in the cold with no cake.
“When one door closes, another one opens.”
Doors might close softly; doors might slam shut.
We can’t control the speed and sound of the closing door behind us. But we do have a choice when “one door closes.”
Do we linger at locked doors to listen for the muffled voices of our past?
Or do we look up with the hopeful expectation that when one door closes, surely another one opens?
“When one door closes, another one opens.”
Do you know the other half of this quote? I sure didn’t. So, I Googled it for us:
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~Alexander Graham Bell
Are you standing on an old doormat in disbelief that the door slammed shut in your face? Are you frightened of a future without that familiar front porch- the porch on which you used to sip the tea and shoot the breeze?
I know it’s hard. But, how long will you linger in your old neighborhood before looking out to new horizons?
“When one door closes, another one opens.”
I know it’s scary when the door slams shut in your face. I wish I could bring you a slice of chocolate cake right now. We could sit on the steps, talk through all the things, process the pain, and plan your next move. We could laugh, cry, and linger, but only for a moment. Because friends don’t let friends linger when it’s time to look up.
There’s a new door open for you, friend. Take a look out at the horizon— full of hope. There’s a new door with your name on it. Your new door sits on a precious front porch lined with pretty potted flowers. Sit and rest. Sip your tea. Shoot the breeze.
Friend, it’s time to step off that dusty old doormat and say hello to a hopeful new horizon. Because, “When one door closes, another one opens.”
With Love,
Audra
This one is "evergreen." Feels like it fits today, too.
This is a fantastic reminder, Audra! Thanks for sharing!! When I went through a real rough season where there were nothing but slammed doors, I found solace in Revelation 3:8 -
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
Now I have walked through a door that was wide open for me. I was led to it, and I am grateful for it. It's led to a long corridor with a brilliant light at the end. It is beyond my wildest dreams. Now there are other open doors as well on the sides. These I feel are just distractions, and that is humbling.
What were once options that I would have been super grateful in a past season are in this new season distractions. I know God has way bigger plans for all of us, and when He slams a door, it is motivated by divine love, that surpasses all of our understanding (Isaiah 40:28, Hebrews 12:11, James 1:4).