We often pray for opportunities, better relationships or new beginnings. Often time, when we have been praying for a while and a door finally opens, we assume we are supposed to walk through it. However, sometimes the blessing is having the discernment to recognize that an open door isn’t necessarily ” your door”.
I acknowledge that there is an allure to walk , hell run through an open door.
An opportunity comes along and we assume this must be the answered prayer. It might be a new job, a new business venture, a new relationship or a chance to start over in another location. But I’ve been learning that an open door is not always your door nor is it always an invitation. It can simply be an opportunity to exercise discernment.
I know we have been taught to chase open doors and to view them as opportunities,
but just because something is available doesn’t mean it is aligned;
just because someone wants you , doesn’t mean they are deserving of you;
just because a business opportunity could make you more money doesn’t mean it’s legit;
just because you prayed for something , it doesn’t necessarily mean that the opportunity that followed is the answer to that prayer.
We are often so excited that something is finally happening that we stop asking whether it is actually right for us.
Discernment often requires us to pause, take a step back and look at situations with a critical lens. It requires us to look beyond the timing, beyond the excitement, and sometimes even beyond what we think we prayed for.
There was a time, when I had moved to a new place and I was feeling lonely and really wanted to make friends. I remember specifically praying that I would meet some likeminded friends and have a little community.
Shortly after that , I was invited to join a girl’s group.
Almost immediately, I assumed it was an answered prayer. This must be it, I thought. I’ve found my people.
However, after a few conversations it became painfully apparent that these were not my people.
I remember telling my husband, in my distress, that I had prayed about this. I had even journaled about it in my prayer journal. The timing was so perfect, so specific, that I was convinced this had to be my answer.
He responded simply: “The devil can also read.”
In that moment, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
I, too, had fallen into the trap that so many of us fall into when we are desperate for something. I had simply walked into the first open door.
That is sadly, the danger of desperation: it can make any door look like an answer.
After I got this in perspective , I was able to remove myself from that situation and I did eventually find the likeminded friends I was searching for.
So , how do we avoid walking through the wrong door?
- Pray again to be sure
- Don’t assume that it is your door
- Don’t let desperation blind you to the red flags
- Look for alignment, not just opportunity
Sometimes, the greatest blessing is recognizing that this door isn’t yours and having the wisdom and strength to keep walking until you find the one that is.
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