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“Having second thoughts or buyer’s remorse is an inevitable part of walking through open doors.”

A thought by John Ortberg, (2015-02-24) from his book. All the Places to Go . . . How Will You Know?: God Has Placed before You an Open Door.  What Will You Do?  (p. 137). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

How did you feel the night before you got married?  Were you having second thoughts?  I was 27 so I didn’t have second thoughts.  I was more worried that Margaret did but she didn’t and here we are 40 years later.

But “having second thoughts or buyer’s remorse is an inevitable part of walking through open doors.”  But John then says, “It is not fatal. It is not final.”

He then says, “Recognizing the angst of difficult decision making can help you avoid one of the worst, overspiritualized traps people fall into when faced with a daunting opportunity: the ‘I just don’t feel peace about it’ excuse for capitulating to fear or to laziness. In this scenario, we take the presence of internal anxiety as a supernatural rationale for avoiding taking on a challenge rather than seeing it for what it is — a simple sign of emotional immaturity.”

He continues, “If ‘having peace about it’ were the ultimate criterion for going through open doors, nobody in the Bible would have done anything God asked. The sequence in the Bible is usually not calling; deep feeling of peace about it; decision to obey; smooth sailing. Instead, it’s usually calling; abject terror; decision to obey; big problems; more terror; second thoughts; repeat several times; deeper faith. Having second thoughts about going through a door is not unusual. It’s not an automatic sign that I’ve made the wrong choice. It’s not even a good predictor of the future…There is a cure for buyer’s remorse…The way to go through one of God’s open doors is with all your heart.”  With everything you’ve got.

My wife Margaret walked through an open door 2 ½ years ago.  Her first week found her closed up in her office wondering if she had made the right choice.  She wasn’t sure she had what it took.  Now today she is working long hours energized by what she is doing.  God is so working through her each and every day.  It was a difficult time in those beginning days and she didn’t feel at peace but she knew it was the right thing to do and God is rewarding her each and every day.

Please don’t let fear or laziness keep you from stepping out into the open door God has for you.  It may be a new church, a new job, a new small group or a new friend.  And it will stretch you.  It will but it will be worth it.


So what excuse are you using to keep you from walking through God’s open door?
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