The Closed Door

I have always been one who would be considered a “go getter”, “achiever”, “inspired”, “passionate”, or “driven”. Whether it was in my academics, career, or personal life, you better believe Ashley Nicole Williams would not stop to get what she wanted!

As I’ve walked this Christian journey, let me be honest and say it is HARD! To understand that when you surrender your life to Jesus Christ means you surrender your thoughts, plans, ideas, and passions for HIS PLANS and HIS PURPOSE for your life…it requires absolute TRUST.

My favorite scripture since I was a little girl is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” As a child I thought I understood this scripture! But as I’ve grown in age and in My relationship with Christ, I realize that I truly have to apply each word of this scripture to my life, especially when it comes to his plans and purpose for my life.

I have been desiring a career transition in Nursing and have been applying to jobs in the federal government and my own organization. I had high hopes because of my experience and education but do you know that you can be overly qualified and the door still close? Or is it that the door doesn’t open?

Talk about disappointment after disappointment? I’ve been emotionally exhausted for the past few months and I am now at the point where I am DONE being the “go getter”! I keep getting stopped dead in my tracks with one closed door after another!

It is after this last closed door that I realize that I must start over and do what Proverbs 3:5 says and put my “trust in The Lord” not a job, person or opportunity in hopes that a door will open! God is sovereign and he opens and closes doors so my trust should be in him and him alone. I must also, “lean not to my own understanding”! I’ve tried to rationalize and understand why the door never opened or why it closed when I was so close to getting the opportunity! But some things aren’t for me to understand! Even if I try to, I still won’t be able to understand because I’m not created to bear the understanding of God!

“In all my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths!” Proverbs 3:6 sums up what I should do before I make any decision! God will direct us where he wants us to go if we put him in the center and first in our plans! What I’ve done is made a decision and then I expect God to bless my decision when I left him out initially! Could this be why the doors are closing? Or better yet not opening??

I realize now that the closed doors are not a bad thing. They could be God’s way of protecting us from what is on the other side! No matter how awesome the person, place, or thing is if the door closed or never opened it isn’t God’s will. And if by chance God allows it, it could be to show us this isn’t it, and though we asked for it, he gave it to us to prove he knows what’s best! Closed doors can also mean that there is something better! So this is what I choose to believe! If one door after another is closing, it is because it’s something better! Lastly, I believe it’s just not my time! No matter how ready we think we are to take the next step we must trust that God knows. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So I’ve decided to hang up my cleats trying to run faster on this journey of life and put on my walking shoes and to wait patiently for the next door to open. I choose to ask first and most Importantly wait for a response and direction from God knowing that at the right time a door will be opened.

Love, Ashley Nicole