Closed Windows

This morning a small bird got into our house. At first he was just on the back porch. But then before we knew it he was flying around in the house! He finally ended up sitting on the light that hangs down from the ceiling in the front entryway. From his position he could see out the window that is at the same level as the light. Just below the window is the front door.

The bird obviously wanted to get outside, so he would leave the light and fly into the window, then turn and return to his perch on the light. After a few tries, I opened the front door. Instead of flying down and out the opened door, he continued to bump into the window, and return to the light. After quite a few attempts, he finally hit the window hard enough that he fell stunned to the floor. Then he hopped up and made his way out the door. Free at last.

I was reminded of my own stubbornness. I know the desires that God has place within me. I look longingly through the window at my level. Yet for some reason, everytime I try to go there, I seem to run into some invisible wall, a closed window, just like that bird. I return to my perch, look through the window, and try again. Maybe this time I can fly through the window?

But nothing changes. Why is it that we fail to see the open door, just beneath the closed window? I believe God places desires within us, he gifts us and gives us a passion chase after our dreams. But we become so locked into what appears to be the only way to get there, that we often fail to see the way that God has provided for us.

It wasn't until that little bird had beat himself against the window enough times to bring him to the ground that he was finally able to see the way that I had provided for him to get out. If you and I are not willing to wait patiently, and earnestly seek God's direction for our lives, we too will have to continue beating ourselves against closed windows until one day we fall to the ground, at the feet of our God, and discover the way that He has provided for us all along.