When God Closes A Door...

Today was supposed to be the first day of public school for my boys but instead I filed my official Intent to Operate a Homeschool with the state. Yes, I just posted about how the Lord saved both of my boys this summer, for what I thought was preparation for sending them out into the world. But that's how quickly lives can change. That's how quickly He can shut the door on something we wrongfully discern as the will of God. 

I've asked myself why for nearly a week. Why on earth would He let me go through the trouble of registering them in public school, just to show me something a week before school lets out, that would rock my world and cause me to yank them back out again? I think because I needed to be reminded of who I am and what I am called to do in this life. I think because I needed to be reminded of who the enemy is and who he seeks to devour. I think because I needed to be reminded of just how easy it is to be tempted by the world. 

I do not mean, by any means, that the school which we had planned to send the boys to is the enemy, and it was not something that the school did which caused us to unequivocally change our minds about sending them. Homeschool is not the right decision for every family but the Lord made it plain this past week that it is the right decision for our family. 

But our decision to keep the boys home isn't really what this post is about. It's about when God closes a door. I can choose to look at what happened in the last week as God closing a door. Or I can look at it as God opening a door of escape. I very nearly had myself and my children in a situation that could've been a huge mistake, one that would have forever changed our lives. And my sweet Savior did what He does, He saved me. He opened for me a door of escape, He gave me grace and mercy, and allowed me to save my children from being exposed to the world because I thought I "needed a break". 

I have been humbled this week and I have been shown that my desire to "be like everyone else" is a foolish temptation by the enemy. I was given the gift of salvation so that I didn't have to be like everyone else! My boys were saved this summer so that they don't have to be like everyone else! God has given us this life, has given us a set of circumstances that is unique and unlike everyone else's, and I nearly squandered it because I was weary. I was weary and the devil preyed upon me and made something that had previously terrified me look so enticing that I almost sacrificed the life I've been given just to have a taste of it. 

But God in His imminent wisdom saw fit to give me a door of escape! And so as I scroll through Facebook today and see all the Back to School pictures, I won't be crying over what will not be for me this year, I'll be rejoicing in the goodness and the glory of my Savior.