Beware of open doors

Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly. — Proverbs 15:21

Sometimes Christians follow an “open door” policy. When a door of opportunity opens, they assume that it’s God’s will to go through it.

Bestselling author Terri Blackstock knows this is untrue. She never openly rebelled against God, but she found herself far away from Him after walking through open doors of opportunity. “I had allowed myself to believe that God was blessing my career . . . because He had opened all the doors,” she wrote in Soul Restoration. Although she got what she wanted — a successful career writing romance novels for Harlequin and Silhouette — she lost what she needed: a close relationship with God.

When she finally admitted that her career was keeping her from God, she turned her back on success and renewed her commitment to the Lord. Since then her writing career has been revitalized, and she has become an award-winning author of Christian fiction.

Just because the Lord doesn’t stop us from something, doesn’t mean He wants us to continue. To discern which opportunities to pursue, we need to “approve the thing that are excellent” and to be “filled with the fruits of righteousness . . . to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:10-11). — Julie Ackerman Link

When you’re making a decision,

Evil sometimes wears a mask;

Trust the Lord for true discernment —

He’ll give wisdom if you ask. — Hess

READ: Philippians 1:8-11

The best way to know God’s will is to say “I will” to God.

The Bible in one year:

• Genesis 13-15

• Proverbs 3:1-10