This past
week has been a journey that I think a lot of people can relate to. Walking in faith sometimes is hard so we take
things into our own hands. Why ask God
for help when we got it all figured out right?
I received a call from a headhunter who was looking to fill a
position. I kindly told her I wasn’t
interested, she continued to talk and increased the pay, benefits etc and of
course it caught my attention. I said oh
hold on, I’m listening now, go ahead. She continued to tell me more and schedule an
interview on Monday. I was booked the
day of the interview so I had to move things around, but I made it work. The interview screening went well, she said
she hasn’t found anyone with the experience I have and there is only one other
candidate with me that will be interviewing with the actually company. Oh, I was so excited when I left, I started
figuring out who can help me with my kids, how much I can pay them, what their
schedule will be etc. So I head to the
company for the final interview. I
arrive and one story was the partners
weren’t aware of me coming and they wouldn’t be in for another couple of
hours. I said no problem, they can call me to reschedule. I contacted the headhunter and left a
message. She calls me and tells me they
had a family emergency. Hum, ok the
stories don’t match but whatever. She
asked me to go back in 2 hours. So I
wait around and do and I had to once again reschedule appointments so I can fit
this in as it is a high priority now.
Isn’t that how we determine what is our priority… based on what we want
to make time for! So I am still making plans and claiming this
position as I knew it was mine. In my
industry this salary is higher than anyone else. So I am so excited and know I am going to get
it. I head back to the appointment and
met with one of the partners. I knew for
sure this was a slam dunk, interview is going well. Then the other partner came
in, young, hot shot, and I said oh there it went. I didn’t care for some of his
answers but I continued to smile and do my best. I was feeling a little down as I wasn’t as
confident that it was mine after meeting with him. So they said they needed someone right away
and I was planning on them making a decision really fast. So no call Tuesday so
by Tuesday afternoon, I started praying and seeking what God wanted for me. I didn’t do it before the interview since I
knew I would get it, I didn’t need to call on God, I had this. Sound familiar? So by Wednesday morning, I wake up and I am
discouraged since all the answered pointed to this isn’t a job for you to
take. Why not, it was perfect for so
many answers I needed. I really wanted to continue to push that door
from closing because I wanted it. Lord,
please tell me why this isn’t for me…. No answer but I had peace in my heart
about it and let it go. Not in my head
as I still was boggled as to why? No sooner, Thursday morning my phone starts
going crazy. It’s this headhunter
calling me. I figured oh, she wanted to
offer me another position and so I was in no hurry to call her back. Then she stared emailing me, etc. So we played phone tag for a couple hours and
then guess what… she says they really liked you and want to hire you. I was like oh wow, that’s great! However, I have to decline. She went on with why? I said I am sorry I accepted another position
even with lower pay. She was very upset
that I wouldn’t take it. She reminded me
that this position is better than anything out there right now and I am crazy
not to accept it. I said yes I know,
however I am declining. Thank you for your time. So that didn’t stop her, she continued to
call and email me to contact her. She said they don’t want anyone else, they
have bonuses on top of the salary and she just found out. I said wow, if you
would have called me yesterday, I was in a place to say yes, but today the
answer is still no. Isn’t that true, I
would have accepted it on Tuesday before I seeked God cuz I was doing it on my
own… I didn’t need any help with this door… but no, I get a call AFTER I seeked
God’s answer. Humm! She continued to ask me what is keeping me
from taking it, I said I already committed to someone else and I have to keep
my word. She continued to point out
how this one is better than the one I accepted.
She said she would give me til the next morning before she made the call
of my denial for me to reconsider one more time. I said ok. I am still thinking about it, but in my heart
I knew this was a NO. So by morning she
is blowing up my phone for an answer. Once again I declined. I knew that job in my mind would solve so
many issues for me, however God didn’t have the same plan. Of course we don’t
know what he is going to bring our way next.
Right? So I let that door close,
there was no reason to continue to hold it up and missing my next blessing. My next blessing you ask? … well it came within days of that door
closing!
Looking back
throughout circumstances that have come your way, running into closed doors is
really hurtful and doesn’t make any sense.
This verse Psalm 43:10 answered so much for me, but he said be still and
know I am God. When I first got saved, I
heard the Rev. 3:20 I stand at the door knocking, if any man hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat and he with me. I can
remember standing at the alter feeling my heart pumping fast, head has no
thoughts, just tears running down my face. I had no vision to see anything, I
was just standing there sobbing with my heart racing. Do you remember having a similar feeling when
you first encountered that experience with God?
God is standing there knocking at our heart and we have the choice to
except him or not. Do you remember the
feeling when you excepted him, the peace that came over you no matter what
circustances surround you in your life?
The hope, peace and joy you had at that very moment, nothing else
mattered. I can speak for me, I felt
like I was in a whole different place, I felt like I was walking on a cloud.
How many times do we forget that same hope, peace and joy that is on the inside
and we don’t keep that freshness alive. Or did you decide not to accept God and you
lack joy, peace and happiness and have been battling with it every day since. You wish you don’t have to carry lifes
burdens on your back being depressed, wounded, sick ? Don’t feel you are worth God’s love and mercy? How many times do you have friends that say,
If this… then I it would make me happy?
If he or she would just…. Then we will be ok? Those things happen and guess what, there is
still no peace, joy or happiness. Sometimes
these closed doors or the doors you see and feel closing on you seem
devastating, yet they are really helping
you have a better life, be a better person,
and be a testimony for you to share.
Having
conversations with friends and you can say, I remember going thru that and you
can testify what God has done for you and give them comfort that it will be
ok. If that door didn’t close for you,
you wouldn’t have this opportunity to help your friend. God
has much more in store for you. Once you have come to accept the closed door,
now God can open the right one for you. Have you ever looked back at those closed
doors and realized how they actually helped you and elevated you to a better
place? I can talk about a boyfriend I just let him walk
all over me, because I loved him. Deep
down in my stomach I knew he wasn’t good for me, however I was willing to live
with that pain in my stomach than to emotionally close that door as that seemed
to painful. Maybe that’s someone on the
line today…. Do you have a girlfriend
that has turned her back on you? Do you
have a boyfriend or girlfriend you know is treating you bad and you deserve
better. I encourage you not to live with
that anymore and know once the tears dry and the heart is healed, you too will
be blessed with something better. You
will look back in a year and say God, thank you… what took you so long..
right? It actually was you holding up
your blessing.
Talking
about doors, the other day I was watching Steve Harvey and for any of you that
don’t know he is now hosting TBN and left his secular comedy industry to serve
God. He had an awesome analogy I would
love to share. Picture with me you in
heaven walking down a hall with Peter , going to see God. You see all these doors with names on
it. You ask Peter, Peter why do all
these doors have names on it? Peter
said, oh don’t worry about that, keep on walking. They continue to walk down the hall and you
see your name on the door and you stop! Do you see the door you asked Peter, it
has my name on it? He said, yes but
don’t’ worry about it keep going. You said no, I have to know what’s
inside. You open the door, picture a
warehouse full of boxes on shelves. Do
you see it, it’s a big warehouse? You
ask Peter, what are all these boxes… Peter replied… these are all your
blessings. You say well why are they in
here…. Peter said well that row of boxes is when you were on pitty me street,
so God’s blessing couldn’t get delivered to you.. so it was returned… that row
is when you were on faithless street so it couldn’t be delivered and it was
returned… that row is when you were on doubtful street so those blessings were
returned. If we aren’t standing on God’s word,
believing, trusting and being all he has made us to be every minute, we are
missing our blessings. Don’t let closed
doors bring you down, welcome them as it means that blessing is being delivered
to you.. don’t let you next blessing go to the warehouse.
I pray this
word has been a blessing to you. Keep
your head held high as we are
representing our heavenly father in all that we do!
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