Happy Friday, friends!
It’s that time of the week were a group of us gather to write for five minutes on a one-word prompt. This has become one of my favorite parts of my week! With no concern for grammar, punctuation, planning, etc., what spills out is real and raw writing. It’s pretty freeing for a gal who likes to dot her I’s and cross her T’s.
This week’s prompt:
CLOSE
Wow, it was five months ago yesterday.
God closed the familiar door I had been walking through for the last five years. Wait, correction… He didn’t just close it. He slammed it shut.
I couldn’t understand at the time. It seemed out of the blue and it was one of the most difficult times I had personally ever walked through. But as the months have quickly come and gone, it’s begun to make a little more sense to me.
I still believe God protected me from something. I may never know from what. But deep in my heart, I believe that was part of it. I also believe He wanted me home for a time, and has beautiful things ahead for me in my future. He’s sovereign. He’s in control. And His purposes and plans for me are and will be perfect.
These last five months have refreshed my parched soul. I have intentionally sat at Jesus’ feet, learning all I can, soaking in all I can, spending precious time communicating with Him, and seeking rest and healing for my heart and mind. It’s been a beautiful time of refreshment.
One that I didn’t even realize I needed.
I am thankful today God did close that door. I wouldn’t trade these last five months–intentionally loving and serving my family, and loving and serving Jesus–for anything! And if I have five more months of doing the same, or five years, I’ll continue to be thankful for closed doors.
Stop.
Five minutes goes by fast! Thank you for joining me for Five Minute Friday today. Have a blessed Memorial Day weekend, friends!
(I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker and friends. Join the party…even if you don’t blog, you can participate in the comments. It’s a great way to end the week and start your weekend. Details are at Lisa-Jo’s site.)
Hi Julie, visiting for the first time from 5MF.
How beautiful it is to have a healthy perspective of the unexpected ocurrences that happen in our lives, unassured, but yet assured that He is in control. What a blessed time of refreshing in Him. God bless!
Thank you, Phyllis. God bless you too. Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts here. So thankful God is in control and we don’t have to be. 🙂
Great post on close.
{I did not even think to interpret that word as in “close” a door}
The door closed, slammed in our face, as you said, is so often those pivotal moments of faith. I truly believe staying put, instead forcing your way through, is one the most important lessons and times of spiritual growth. It sets us up for a lifetime practice of stillness in His presence.
Cheers,
Leah
Wow, Leah, you are so right. It’s one of the most important lessons of practicing stillness in His presence. I didn’t even think of that. I’ll be thinking about that throughout my day today. Thank you for visiting and sharing your perspective. Have a blessed day!
I think that I know some of what you mean. The door slams shut and we wonder why He gave such joy and excitement about what we were almost sure that he was revealing and doing. But having lived through a period of this unknown, I have SEEN that He had such bigger, greater, more beautiful things in store. Things that we could not have done had that first door been closed. Because around the corner was another door that we couldn’t see clearly when the first was propped open.
Yes, Hannah, it sounds you know exactly what I mean. Thank you. Sometimes it helps knowing someone else understands! I believe bigger, greater, more beautiful things, as you wrote, are just around the corner! I appreciate you and your words today. Have a great day!
Hi Julie, stopping by from FMF. I had a similar experience just over a year ago and I knew immediately there was no need to panic. I could feel, just like you said, that God was protecting me from something. I will never know the details and for the first time, I don’t need to know. I trust that it was the right thing. Beautiful post. Beautiful site.
Hi Lisa! Thank you for stopping by and for your encouraging words! It’s comforting to know someone else has experienced closed doors and has come out on the other side. 🙂 So thankful God is in control, and we don’t have to be. I’m glad God has protected us both! Blessings to you today!
I love your post, I love your trust and faith – I feel nurtured just by reading today. Thanks.
Hi Kaye! Thanks for stopping by! I love how we seem to read the words we need in the moment we need them. Hope you’re having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Encouraging words today! Change can be scary, but there’s comfort in believing God is in control and He’s the one closing and opening the doors. Blessings for you as you continue in your journey!
Thank you, Kathryn. You are right…this is scary and comforting, all at the same time! I look forward to seeing what door God will open next. Hope you’re having a great weekend!