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Over the years, I have sometimes asked the Lord what I am supposed to be doing now. That door closed, and that job ended. What now? What is Your perfect will for me? Sometimes, this became stressful because I couldn't hear anything when I thought I really needed to. Yet, most of the time, it was as simple as examining what could happen and what could not. What door is open to me?

An interesting example from one of the Apostle Paul's missionary trips is this: Paul and his team were planning to go to Asia and then to Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit wouldn't let them because they were to go to Macedonia instead.

(Acts 16:6–10 NKJV) Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So, Paul found a closed door to Asia, a closed door to Bithynia, and an open door to Macedonia. There was only one clear choice, and it came after the first two closed doors. Paul did not have to worry about missing God because that was impossible.

(Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

The Lord directed Paul's path just as He had promised. For when you put the Lord first in your life, the other things begin to fall into place. Paul prayed that doors would open in his life:

(Colossians 4:2–3 NKJV) Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains

(2 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV) Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord

(1 Corinthians 16:8–9 NKJV) But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

God is the One that opens and closes doors for us.

(Revelation 3:7–8 NKJV) "... 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it..."

The Lord can also shut doors that no one can open, and both types are extremely important. Closed doors may not be as pleasing as an open one, but they are just as important in your life. Once, when I was out of work for a season, I accepted a job over the phone before I prayed about it. That was a Friday afternoon, and they told me to start on Monday.

While driving there, I prayed, "Lord, if this is the job that You have for me, so be it. But if You want me somewhere else, then please close this door." When I arrived at the job site, they had already hired someone they thought was me, and they didn't need any more help. That door was closed. It was a good thing because the job that He had for me appeared a week later.

It is clear that God uses doors of opportunity in our lives to move us along His path, but I want to talk about recognizing them, for He thinks differently than we do. Consider the birth of Jesus Christ for a moment. He was born in a stable in Bethlehem and laid in a feeding trough.

I grew up on a farm and used to feed the animals. I can tell you that the fragrance of nature would have been strong in that stable. The parents were dirt poor, and there were no servants to wait on them. In fact, Mary was pregnant and not yet married, so that was another black mark. What I mean is that it was not the glorious entrance that you would have expected for an event like the Son of God coming to earth.

Jesus came in a humble package, as do so many of God's greatest gifts to us. Peter wrote:

(1 Peter 5:5–7 NKJV) ... be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

In short, humility opens doors for us to be exalted, while pride closes them and, according to (Proverbs 16:18), leads to destruction. Each time in my life, before the Lord used me in any significant way, I first went through a humbling season to prepare for it. It was always voluntary, and each time I was given the opportunity to humble myself, I was never forced to obey. The opportunity usually presented itself as a choice: I could choose to humbly serve others or leave feeling like they did not recognize my true importance.

It was a choice, and I was free to choose either path. Whenever I opted for the humble route, I was eventually promoted or a golden opportunity would suddenly arise. I have literally gone from sweeping the floor to becoming the manager.

God uses humble beginnings, and I have learned from experience that the extravagant-looking door is often not the one He has in store for me. Instead, it is the plain-looking door that seems insignificant until you walk through it and discover what awaits you.

Peter said to humble ourselves so that God may exalt us in due time. He will provide the opportunity, but only we can humble ourselves. God does not make you humble, but He will provide an opportunity for you to serve in a lowly position with a positive attitude and a smile. You will become humble during the serving. The further the task is beneath you, the higher He plans to take you. The longer the serving takes, the longer the season of promotion that comes.

I mentioned a time when He closed a door for me and prevented me from taking a job, even though I had already been hired. This was because, the following week, the job He had for me came up. Here is a little backstory on that.

I once had a great job, at least for me, as a supervisor for an international construction company. I had worked there for several years, though I had to work every Saturday and Sunday, so I could not attend church as often as I used to. I began to hunger for more of God. I missed feeling His presence, so I decided to fast, pray, and listen to the Bible day and night for two weeks.

At the end of two weeks, they called me into the office and laid me off. I was surprised, but I learned that when you seek Him wholeheartedly, He will aggressively and profoundly change your life, and sometimes, you might not fully welcome that change.

I went on unemployment and searched everywhere for a job, but I couldn't find one. This became a time of solitude for me. I sought work and often spent time alone on the Waccamaw River, fishing, praying, and listening to an audio Bible. I loved it! So, I prayed for the Lord to open a door for me so that I could continue listening to the Bible all day. That was my only request.

Finally, the last check for my unemployment came, and the same day, a temp service called and wanted me to apply for a job. It was at a brass plant that polished plumbing faucets before they were dipped in chrome. I went to meet with the manager and was unsure. The job paid a third of what I previously made and was dirty, dangerous work in a dimly lit hundred-year-old building. While I stood there, the manager said, "You can start in the morning if you like. Bring something to listen to because it can be pretty boring." The Holy Spirit whispered, "This is what you asked Me for." So I took the job.

During that year of polishing brass at minimum wage, He refined me. I listened to the Bible all day and prayed in the Spirit while mind-numbingly polishing brass at a roaring buffing machine. It was an incredible time in my life, and miracles began to happen around me.

One day, I was fasting, praying, and listening to the Bible while working at my machine. When I felt something like oil being poured over the top of my head. I thought for sure someone was pranking me, but I spun around, and there was no one there. He anointed me for something.

Things began to change. Though I hardly said a word to anyone there, revival broke out in the building, and everyone suddenly became on fire for the Lord. They began borrowing my Bible CDs, and soon, we just played the Bible over the intercom all day. We attended church together, and I would fill my whole row with guests.

Soon after that, the plant merged with another, and the Lord pushed me into my own computer business for the next twenty years. I networked hundreds of computers and built a hundred websites. I had no idea that He was preparing me for online ministry and teaching me the skills that I use today. Yet, it all began when a very humble-looking door opened for me that I felt was beneath me.

When He gives you the chance to serve in some humble-looking situation, do it! It is quite possibly the greatest door that could ever open for you, disguised as something lowly. Jesus, the King of all Kings, washed the feet of the disciples like He was their servant. No matter where He puts you, serve with a smile and work to be the best that the world has ever seen. Do all things as if you were doing them for the Lord, and His promotion will find you.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please open the right doors in my life and close the ones that I should stay out of. Help me see the big picture and look beyond my circumstances today. Please give me the grace to serve You wherever I am and to keep a positive attitude. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!