Windows Open

Today I learned a phrase in Portuguese; Quando Deus fecha uma porta, abre uma janela.

It sounds something like "Kando doo feka ooma porta ah bree ooma janelah blah blah blah." My pronunciation may need a little work, but the meaning of this phrase makes sense to me.

"Where God shuts a door, He opens a window."

Sometimes closed doors create uncomfortable situations. As a juvenile (some would argue delinquent) my brother was known to lock the door right as I was trying to get inside. During a particular time of year, I would be standing there watching my breath leave my body. A shiver here and a frozen nostril there made me really want to get inside. Opening a window allowed me an escape from the cold. Closed doors and open windows are also enjoyed in the summertime.

Needing a little peace and quiet in order to sleep at night, I usually close my bedroom door. Unfortunately the closed door restricts airflow, creating a stuffy setting where I have a higher likelihood of suffocating in my sleep. Laying there in a pool of my own sweat is sticky, gross, and not conductive to a restful night's sleep. By opening a window this problem is solved. Fresh air comes rushing in, removing the stale characteristic of my sleeping quarters and filling my lungs with life. Closed doors might make you lose sleep at night, but an open window can revive a life.

Recently as doors have slammed shut in my face, I've been learning to look for the open window. Rather than feeling trapped behind a closed door, I have seen windows swing open, and felt the cool breeze surround me. The door may be shut, leaving me in the exact same setting, but instead of feeling like a victim of my own situation, God opens the window and changes everything.