The Boxes

I have in my hand two boxes, which God gave me to hold.
He said, "put all your sorrows in the black, and all your joys in the gold."
I heeded His words, and in the two boxes, both my joys and sorrows I store.
But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before.
With curiosity, I opened the black; I wanted to find out why.
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole which my sorrows had fallen out by.
I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud, "I wonder where my sorrows could be?"
He smiled a gentle smile at me; "My child, they're all here with me."
I asked, "God, why give me the boxes?"
"Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings; the black is for you to let go!"

Closed Doors

At some point we all struggle with those "closed doors"...things that we pray for that we don't get. I know I do. One of my biggest struggles with the closed door is that of companionship. After being married for 21 years, it was and still is hard to come home to an empty house. And now that my children are all grown and most of them with families of their own, I really miss not having someone to talk to, to just be close to. Especially when my ex-husband went to being an ex to a current, it didn't take him very long and after thirteen years, I am still faced with a closed door. I have a very good friend who is always sending me encouraging emails. I tell him that somehow he just seems to send me an email about a subject that I've been struggling with. So if you're currently struggling with a closed door, remember, that door has been closed by the Lord for a reason...so that he can open up one that is so much better for you. Let us help each other bask in the wisdom of God because he knows us better than we do and he knows far better what we need than we do.

I just came back from a little walk with this very subject on my mind, as I walked I prayed to the Lord to help me not dwell on the closed doors but to be thankful for the ones that are open now and those that he will be opening in the future. Let's pray for each other to stop crying over what we want or think we want and be joyful over what we have knowing "...how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11) And "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17). I would like to share the lastest email my friend sent to me and hope that you are inspired as I was:

CLOSED DOORS
We need to learn to praise the Lord as much for a closed door as we do an open door. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared anything over there for us. If he didn't close the wrong door, we would never find the right door.

God directs our path through the closing and opening of doors. Once a door closes, it forces you to change your course. Another door closes, it forces you to change your course again. Then, finally, you find the open door and you walk right into your blessing.

The Lord directs our paths through the opening and closing of doors, but instead of praising Him for the closed door (which keeps us out of trouble); we get upset because we "judge by appearances."

You have an ever-present help in the time of trouble that is always standing guard. Because he walks ahead of you, He can spot trouble down the road and set up a roadblock or detour accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom, we try to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour sign.