Last time we looked at some of the challenges that we experience when we suffer losses and even the efforts we make trying to avoid them. But no matter how hard we try to dodge them – if we love (people, pets, etc.), if we embrace opportunities, if we invest in things – we are going to experience loss. It is unavoidable.
We have all heard people say things like – “When one door closes, another one opens,” or “When God closes a door He opens a window.” And certainly when an opportunity is lost, there will be others. But sometimes there can be a lengthy gap between when one door closes and something else opens up. We may feel stuck, as it were, in the hallway – between doors. We tend to not like the hallway; wanting a door to open immediately. Sometimes we are in the hallway briefly, while other times it can be lengthy. But here is the thing – whether short or long, it is valuable time.
Time in the “hallway” can give us time to grieve a loss as well as time for God to prepare our hearts and minds for the next door – opportunity or relationship. Oh sure, we can stand in the hallway and stomp our feet and demand that another door be opened to us, but that will only slow down the grieving and growing process. This may be God ordained time in the hallway. Instead of thinking of this as wasted time, in between moments of living life, we may gain more benefit when we begin to recognize that hallway time is equally a part of living life.
Next time we will look at some things we can do to make that “hallway” time pay off.