Table Salt: Open door

When the winter temperatures drop, we know it is time to close up more barn doors. Shutting doors blocks the wind from rolling inside, helping keep the animals warm. Depending on the direction the wind whirls from or which way the precipitation falls determines which barn door needs to be closed. 

Once winter shows its face, we keep the west doors shut and locked through the entire season. However, the doors on the east side of the barn remain open for part of the winter since they most often allow warmth from the sunlight to share heat with the livestock. As the forecast warns us, we shut doors as we see fit to protect our animals best. 

At all times, we must leave one door open for our farm dog, Honey, to access her snuggly straw bed. We want to prevent the least amount of cool air from creeping into the barn as possible. Latching all of the doors on the coldest nights, we left one door cracked, just big enough for Honey to fit it. The first night, all of the big doors were closed; she ran up and down the sidewalk looking for an opening. We waited and watched her look for an open door since the ones she had used before it got cold were now closed. 

When Honey slipped into the narrow door that was open just for her, I became overwhelmed with God’s goodness. If God never shut any doors, how would we know which ones to go through? We usually think of God as guiding our paths by opening doors for us, but in reality, He also shuts them. 

When we don’t get the job, our child doesn’t make the team, or the deal on the new house falls through, we are left disappointed. Like Honey, we race up and down the sidewalk, looking for the open door. Each one we come to can feel like it got slammed in our face, but God has opened the perfect door just for us. Sometimes, we must wait a little while until we find the door God has opened. 

Be still in the presence of God, He is at work. If you’re going through a season of obstacles, setbacks, and closed doors, remember that God orders both your steps and your stops. Whether He opens or closes doors, God delights in leading you down the path He has marked out for you. 

When God closes a door, you can trust He does it out of love. He has a better plan than you can imagine. You can also be sure God will open another door for you before long, and He is preparing you for whatever lies ahead. While you wait on Him to act, remember His faithfulness. 

“What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.” Revelation 3:7. 

Contact Ashley at ashley@tippgazette.com

Or Mail:

Tippecanoe Gazette

Attn: Ashley Spring McCarroll

PO Box 84

Tipp City, Ohio 45371