We know when the door has shut. Sometimes it slams itself with a force, but other times it's a gradual closure. Either way, we know when the door is shut.
I imagine that the door is wooden, it's an older style because it's from our past. And, as we stand looking at it, we realize we're standing in the hallway.
The hallway is long, well-lit and carpeted. It's comfortable. We can stay there as long as we want to. But this is the place where we can sit...and heal from the past.
Have you been hurt, betrayed, feeling rejected? Maybe there are people to forgive.
Have there been loved ones in your life who you have lost? Perhaps you need time to grieve that loss.
Maybe you're experiencing a career change, or life change like divorce, empty nest or a necessary move.
Or perhaps you're overwhelmed with the stressors in your life. And just need to step back.
As we sit on the floor, we can rest.
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
"He makes me lie down in green pastures". Psalm 23:2
Did you know that He MAKES us rest? Often we don't realize when we really need to rest, and we just tend to push through. As women, there are many responsibilities that we encounter during the day. This can make it more difficult to find time to step away, and just pause.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, to pause means to stop doing something for a short time, or to make something stop for a short time. It's described as a period of silence between musical notes or a symbol that represents this. I love that. It's a temporary space of time.
Years ago, I experienced a full burnout. I had been working a very high stress job, about 60 hours/week. At the same time, I was driving back and forth to another city in attempt to help my aging parents, who both passed within 2 years of each other. This left me with such an overwhelming sense of grief and exhaustion. Doors closed. And, I was forced to rest.
During any transition of life there is an adjustment. What kind of changes or loss are you working through?
- divorce
- unexpected career change
- disappointment
- grief with a death
- estrangement of a family member or someone close
- kids have left home - empty nest
- a move
Perhaps you're working through disappointment, forgiveness and anger. With big transitions, there can be a season of redefining your identity and purpose. This is the hallway of healing.
On the other side of the hallway, is a series of doors.
Each represent various opportunities, but they are all closed, until the time is right.
Have you been able to forgive?
Are you rested?
Are you ready to learn something new?
You may be only able to peek inside the window.
But you can't make the door open until you're ready.
You have possibly heard of the parable of the wineskins. New wine is put into a new wineskin. As the fermentation process happens, the wineskin expands. After it is poured out, the dry wineskin becomes brittle. Therefore, you can't put new wine into an old wineskin, it will break.
There is a process to prepare the wineskin for further use. The old wineskin is soaked in water to make it pliable. Then the winedresser gently rubs it with oil to make it soft again and ready to carry the new wine.
This is what God will do for you as well. As you soak in the hallway of healing, He will allow you time to rest and soak in His presence. And when it is time, He will gently massage His oil into your spirit in preparation to hold the fresh infilling of His presence.
Take time. Sit and rest. Prepare yourself. Strengthen yourself. Be gentle with yourself.
Just pause...
And God's door of opportunity will open when it is time.