In life sometimes … you have to close some doors to have others open.
(Gene Ween)
Knock, knock, who’s there? Bee. Bee who? Bee waiting for the door to open.
Do you feel there are some doors in your life you have waited for a lifetime to open? Perhaps you have been too busy trying to get that door opened, rather than checking if there are doors in your life that ought to be closed so that you can prepare yourself for when this door you’ve been waiting for to finally open.
Doors that should be shut can be habits that are bad for your physical, mental or emotional health. You have the choice over these unhealthy habits. It’s a vicious cycle and you think you cannot shut that door. That’s a lie. You can get out of these habits if you value your life more than keeping these doors opened.
My dad used to tell us that he couldn’t quit smoking or he’d die. He told us that a few of his friends who quit smoking, passed away soon after. Then last year, when he was in and out of hospital for a few months, he suddenly dropped his smoking habit. He has not picked it up since! Of course, his faith did helped him overcome his smoking addiction. But it was still a choice that he thankfully made.
Other doors that should be shut could be connected to abusive relationships. Seriously consider closing those doors. Seek professional help if needed. You’re not alone. There’s no shame in asking for help. It’s difficult to extricate yourself from an unhealthy relationships, but it’s not impossible. There is a big world out there that is not all bad. Just take courage. You deserve better. A bad relationship is not an option. If you’re not sure, get professional advice. Get out, you deserve better.
There are some people who just cannot stop filling their time with all kinds of activities because they are afraid to rest. Maybe its the fear of lack or the belief that if they don’t continue to be busy, their present lifestyle will be lost. Or for younger people, perhaps you’re afraid that you’ll lose favor with your friends or loved ones, or even lose opportunities if you don’t keep yourself busy. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, most of us have a choice to slow down or keep flapping our wings like the bee, that has to move even faster to remain in the same spot.
Why not try shutting doors of busyness so that you can have the time to reflect and explore new opportunities. No time better than now as the end of the year approaches. If nothing else, the pandemic has taught us that man can plan, but God determines our steps. So stop and breathe. Whatever door is shut may open but it’s more likely to happen after you’ve sorted out which doors in your life, you should close first.
Not convinced? Read the story of the Two Lumberjacks in the blog post, “Slow down… to go fast.” Guess who is faster at his work – the older man or the younger lumberjack?
