The Open Door Part II

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When I wrote the first post on The Open Door I knew that it was not done...sometimes God can put a message on our hearts that He wants us to really sit and ponder on, or He will ask us to do something that takes us out of our comfort zone.  My family and I had been attending a church for almost 9 years when God started speaking to me about moving to a different church. At first I really tried to ignore what He was saying, after all did He not know this was my home away from home?  I had built relationships and within these relationships deep friendships had been made.  What God was doing He was opening a door for me and asking me to go through it. Asking to step out of my comfort zone and to trust in Him.  I really went into  prayer and asked over  me to I will obey and go.  He very clearly said one word to me "Go"...so that is what I did.

I let a few of my closest friends  know that God had called myself and my boys out and was planting us into a different body of Christ.  As you might have guessed I got different reactions, most were go with God and I love you, or I completely understand and I am proud of you for standing firm and obeying what God is asking you to do.  Then there were some who did not respond at all and I have not heard from them since.  In addition I got did you check with leadership? Did you get leaderships blessing?  These last two questions that was asked of me I really had to take it back to God.  I did not want to seem disrespectful, but I knew I was walking in the will of God.  I even got why are you isolating I just don't want to see you wandering out in the desert...just you, your bible and God.  I really had to chose my responses wisely for I did not want to be labeled that I was "offended".  As I  went to bed one night I prayed to God to help me with me this. He woke me up in the middle of the night with this verse from, Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  I really took this to heart, it help  me understand the concept of grace and humility.  God has given me so much grace throughout my life and I knew since I had been given it I  needed to extended it.  I must admit there were times when I did not want to do this.  In my quiet time I would cry out to God and ask Him why...His response was because I love you and I need to work new things in you. That set me back a step or to, because when I felt like I was being judged unfairly by the people I had gotten to know so well over the years.  I wanted to shout from the roof tops...I believe in the same God that you do, I pray to the same God that you do, I worship the same God that you do...so what does it matter if I am doing it from  a different pew.  I am the same Missie who has that crazy sense of humor, that loves to give hugs from the bottom of her heart, the same Missie who  will cry and laugh  with you.  I have not moved to a different country or I do not have some contagious disease that keeps you away from me.  In this moments of unrest He would remind me of much He loved me and that His plan was much greater than mine.  I also knew this would be a season of getting close to Him and learning to call upon Him first before a friend.  It was more like I was falling in love with my Maker all over again.

I now have a renewed desire to know Him on a deeper level, to want to become what He has called me to become.  This feeling of refreshing newness overwhelms me, and it fills me with such joy I can barely handle it.  Even in my lowest point of doubt God faithfully reminded me that this was His plan and not mine.  When God opens a door and tells you to walk through it, this is meant for your good.  In the same way that He closes a door that you want to keep open He is not doing it out of spite.  He is doing it out of love for you.  Next time you hear God tell you to do something that seems way out there, just stop and think of the doors He is opening for you and the promises that are instore.