No one likes having a door slammed in their face. Quite frankly, it's rude and catches us off guard. However, when there's a door closed or rather, slammed, in your life, it can be the biggest blessing. Here's why I pray for closed doors.

It can be extremely frustrating when what you've worked for becomes unavailable to you. When you're forced to go back to square one, it can be uncomfortable and even frightening. It can also be a very depressing moment.

However, timing is everything. We sometimes want something so badly at that very moment, but it's just not the right timing. This could be a grad school acceptance, a relationship, or that job offer. These all seem so attractive to have at this very moment but God may be saying, "Not yet..." or "Soon enough..."

When a door is closed you have to take a step back and reevaluate your growth. God may be using this period of waiting to prepare you for something even bigger than you've imagined. It can seem like the most painful thing you could experience, but God promises us that he makes it worth the wait.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 Says this about timing..

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.”

We may not realize it at the time, but some of our decisions could prove reckless to us. At the time, it may seem like the biggest opportunity or the best case scenario, but it could potentially harm you. The good news is that God steps in and closes doors in order to protect you. He protects you from the wrong guy/girl or the wrong road to go down. God always manages to step in and show you the reality of situations. When the door is slammed, consider it to be a matter of protection.

Psalm 91:11 says this...

“For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways."

In another case, God closes doors in order to get us to focus on something else, something far more important that will bring us closer to Him. If we aren't cautious, we can begin to idolize something or someone very easily. We soon find ourselves completely fixated and it consumes our thoughts, actions, and time. We can make God second-string in our life, a dangerous route to take. Although relationships, school, or careers can be great for us, they can become a distraction rather than a blessing. We should never find ourselves in a place where we idolize something more than God. A closed door brings us back to the One who truly matters.

Leviticus 26:1 says this about idolization...

“Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.”

Perhaps the most reoccurring closed door in my life is one that tells me that it's time to move on. It's so easy to dwell in something comfortable. However, this comfort roots us to where we are and doesn't allow for growth. In fact, it causes us to go backwards. I've found myself saying, "Surely, I've moved on..." However, it's so easy to go back to something comfortable and I find myself taking a giant step back as opposed to those baby steps I took forward. A closed door is God moving you out of your comfort zone in order to experience growth.

Jeremiah 9:11 (one of my favorite verses!) says this...

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I pray for closed doors because I want the Lord to show me exactly what He has in store for me. If there is something in my life that He doesn't want me doing, I pray for the clarity that comes with a closed door. So the next time you experience a closed door don't continue knocking. Wait for the doors that will lead you to the extraordinary.