Have you ever played a video game where you finally reach a giant, glowing, mysterious door? Your heart pounds. You’re sure there’s treasure back there. Maybe a secret level! You push it open and it’s...nothing. Talk about disappointing!

Life has doors like that too. A door is just an opportunity, or a chance to do something. Some doors are amazing, and God is the one who opened them. But not every door that swings open is a good one. Some of them lead absolutely nowhere.

The prophet Jonah found that out the hard way. God told him to go to a city called Nineveh, but Jonah did not want to go. So he walked down to the docks, and saw a ship heading the opposite direction. Jonah probably thought it was an open door. But it wasn’t God’s door. It was just a boat. And that boat led him straight into the biggest mess of his life.

Sometimes we shove doors open ourselves and then tell ourselves God did it. You might copy someone’s homework and call it a lucky break. You might sneak a snack while your parents aren’t watching. Those doors are open, but there’s nothing good behind them.

Remember this: God is really good at opening the right doors at the right time. When you trust Him, you don’t have to force anything.

Think About It: Is there something you want so badly that you’ve been tempted to push the door open yourself instead of waiting for God? What would it look like to wait a little longer and let God handle the doorknob?