By: Rex Stump
When God opens a door of opportunity, walk through it!” Have you heard that phrase before, or something similar? What does it mean? In the Bible, the phrase “God opens a door” can have multiple meanings, including an opportunity to share the gospel, or serve God.
But today, it seems that when something favorable happens, we claim it as God giving you the green light to proceed forward. But is that always the case?
In 1 Samuel 24 David (who was supposed to be king), was being pursued by King Saul. Numerous murder attempts and death threats had been attempted by Saul on David’s life.
In this chapter, Saul has chased and hunted down David in the wilderness. We read that Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! (Vs.2)
This is the part in the story when suspenseful music plays, it’s dark, tense, and you wonder what’s going to happen. We read in verse 4, “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’
David’s men felt this was an open door by God to kill Saul. Just because the opportunity is there, do we take it and claim it’s from God? David didn’t kill Saul, instead he crawled on the ground, sneaking up on Saul and cut off a piece of Saul’s rob.
(We won’t dwell on the fact that David got really close to Saul while he was relieving himself to cut the robe.) You think that is odd? Here’s another odd thing, David felt bad for cutting the king’s robe!
David knew the opportunity was there, an open door, but he didn’t run through it. He restrained himself, believing that killing Saul would not honor God.
Instead, after Saul left the cave and got some distance from the opening, David came out and proved to Saul that he would never harm the king. He spoke to Saul in a way that proved that God was in charge, and that this man hunt should cease.
Maybe there was an open door of opportunity, but David did not choose it. David showed restraint, respect, and wisdom in his actions and speech.
In our lives, just because you have an opportunity to do something, doesn’t necessarily mean God is giving you the green light to proceed forward.
Prayerfully consider the situation and ask, “Would proceeding forward honor God?” Maybe it’s an open door, but not the one you are supposed to use. Seek God in prayer, spend time in God’s Word, and as you do, His ways will become clearer.
Read Psalm 54, something David wrote around this time… “But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them.”
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.