Celebrating Closed Doors: Finding Purpose in the Waiting

Katie Driver
Feb 20, 2019
7 min read

Updated: Nov 11

The Sweet Side of Faith + Your Gluten-Free Bundt Cake Recipe!

I bet you’re thinking: “Wait! Did I read that title right?!” - Celebrating Closed Doors!? “I thought I was reading a blog post about celebrating a birthday … Uncommon turns 5!!!….”

gluten-free bundt cake with icing on a white table with a wood tray, eggs, sugar, butter, utensils, and a birthday hat

You’re probably wondering: “Aren’t you supposed to be celebrating 5 years in business? 5 years of hard work? 5 years of growth? 5 years of accomplishments? 5 years of perseverance? Where’s the confetti, the champagne, the cake?!”

And the answer is YES to all of the above! And we ARE celebrating, believe me! I ate cake for breakfast this morning with a tiny party hat on (true story).

But! As I sat down to reflect on the last five years in business, one recurring thought kept surfacing, and it’s something I truly want to celebrate:

The Lord’s plan is PERFECT... even when he “closes doors”.

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It’s actually something that has been on my mind the last few weeks. Because this idea that “Celebrating Closed Doors” is a good thing!

I haven’t always felt this way. In the past, “closed doors” usually meant tears, doubt, days of despair, feelings of inadequacy, and moping around feeling bad for myself.

When opportunities slipped away, my FOMO went through the roof. Trusting God’s plan didn’t come easy.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago, in late 2018, that one of the biggest “doors” of my career (in my mind) had opened. But as fast as it opened, that door slammed shut just three weeks into 2019. It hurt. Like really hurt.

I had been waiting almost eight weeks to hear if the “second door” I was waiting for was going to be opened like the first. But just like that … with a single email, it closed.

When I finished reading the email, my lip began to quiver and I gave myself a hot second to cry big elephant tears. I then told myself to pull it together.

It wasn’t the end of the world. And it wasn’t my last shot at that opportunity (I’ll try again next year)…. It was just a no… for now.

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Have you ever heard that God answers our prayers with either “YES,” “NOT YET,” or “I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER.”

I have always said I understood those three answers, but it wasn’t until this last “closed door” that I truly understood.

So what changed?! For those eight weeks as I waited to hear whether that door would open, I devoted myself to praying through it. I committed the opportunity to the Lord and asked for that “second door” to open.

I asked family and friends to pray over me and pray over the opportunity as well. We circled it in prayer… and then circled it again and again and again.

As hard as I prayed for that “open door,” I also prayed over my reaction and heart to a “closed door.” I asked for peace and understanding if God would choose to “close the door”.

I can honestly say this is what changed in me. And it’s why I want to celebrate “closed doors”. It’s the peace I felt, knowing the Lord answered my prayer.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the way I wanted it answered, but it was the way He planned.

In times like these, I look to a few others with similar experiences. Faith writers Crossmap Blogs say, “Closed doors can be God’s perfection,” and Faith Spilling Over reminds us: “If God didn’t close doors, we wouldn’t know which ones to go through.”

Katie Driver standing in a kitchen wearing a birthday hat. Holding a slice of gluten-free bundt cake with a candle that says 5

Are you treating a closed door as a failure … or an invitation?

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It’s funny, isn’t it? How quickly we assume our plans are the best ones.

My goodness, are we missing out! I once read that if we do not follow God’s will for our lives and allow God space to do only what He can do, we sacrifice the miracles he has planned for us. WOW!

Let that sink in.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss out on the miracles that God has planned for me (even if they involve “closed doors”).

These past 5 years have been filled with those miracles. They come in all different shapes and sizes, but I see them. We serve an AMAZING God who is FOR us, who loves us unconditionally, and who sets a plan for our best interests in motion. These miracles are a testament to His faithfulness and power.

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As I reflect back on these last 5 years, it’s my trust and faith in the Lord (and a lot of hard work) that has gotten me to this place. Over the years, there have been many “closed doors.” It almost seems like there are too many to count.

But each “closed door” gave way to a new “open door.” And without them, I wouldn’t be here. There is purpose in every “closed door”. They direct you, protect you, and give life to your true calling. They weed out the shortcuts, the pit stops, and the potholes. And it only makes sense in reverse.

As I’ve learned (and shared before in True Tenacity), it’s not about forcing open the wrong doors. It’s about making space for the right ones to swing wide.

I think the key is we must make space in our lives for God to do the work He has planned for each of us. When we make space, God will do His work, and we need to trust it 100%.

And then, don’t be afraid to apply constant pressure. It will break before you do, so go get it.

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Today, as we celebrate all the accomplishments & awesomeness of these last 5 years, I thank the Lord for the “doors” He has opened (that are often better than my wildest dreams!)

But I find myself especially thankful for the closed doors. The “doors” that hurt the worst in the moment, but ultimately led me to finding purpose in the wait. And now, I get to celebrate this moment of PURE JOY: baking a gluten-free vanilla bundt cake to celebrate 5 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

And for all you gluten-free eaters out there, I’m sharing the yummy recipe below!

Those moments make this celebration the sweetest! It is my prayer that each of you lean into God’s plans for your life. I pray that you have the courage to celebrate the “closed doors” as much as you celebrate the ones He “opens”. It’s not easy, BUT it’s worth it. I pray you have the persistence to walk through the new “doors” only He can open.

Need some extra encouragement? Swing by The Uncommon Pep Talk and our post on Showing Up for some heart-lifting reminders that you’re never walking alone.

Here’s to celebrating the ups & the downs, trusting in the Lord’s plan, and being faithful to our true callings. 2019 is going to be one for the books … I just know it!

Happy 5th Birthday, Uncommon! 5 looks good on you!

Give Him space,

Katie

A piece of gluten-free bundt cake sitting on a kitchen counter with brown sugar, butter, napkins, and serving utensils around it

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PS: For y’all wondering what opportunity I was talking about above, I was selected to move forward in the casting process of the TV show “Making It” on NBC. It’s a crafting competition with Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler! Unfortunately, I didn’t move on to be a finalist, BUT that doesn’t mean I won’t in the future. I already have Season 3’s application dates in my calendar…. Kidding… kind of! ;)

PPS: If there is something I can be praying for, don’t hesitate to send me an email. I would love to help you pray through! There is power in prayer … I truly believe that. Reach out to me at Hello@uncommoncs.com - I can’t wait to hear from you!