Unlocking Your Door

A very dear friend of mine gave me a gift a couple of weeks ago; a lovely little journal. I love journals. This one is red and it is tied closed with a piece of red suede. But I think the most precious thing about this gift is that tied to the journal is an antique skeleton key.

The key is pitted, dingy, bent, and twisted. It has been used and a little abused, as you can tell just by looking at it. But this little key means more to me than just a key. And it means more to me than just what my friend gave it to me for.

We had recently finished a wonderful Bible study by Priscilla Shirer entitled, Gideon. (I would highly recommend this study if you are looking to discover how God can use your weaknesses to do mighty things.) One of the lessons in the study talked about how our weakness is the key to God’s strength. It is the key to unlock the door to whatever it is that God is calling you to do. However, once unlocked you must open the door!

I began to think about that and when I saw the skeleton key, I immediately sent my friend a text and told her how much I loved her gift, especially the key. Her reply? “I chose that key specifically for you…That key was the only one in the batch I got that was bent. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was to go to you. And I mean that in every good way!”

It may seem trivial to some people, but to me that key represented a lot of things in my life. I’m a little bent and twisted myself from all the things I’ve been through in my life. And I mentioned to my friend just that and the fact that the key still has a purpose, just like we all do. She agreed.

We all go through various things in our lives. Some are extremely hurtful and they scar us and bend and twist us. We get pitted, just like my little key. But the amazing thing about that is the fact that long before we ever went through any of that, God knew it was going to happen. He knew the things we would go through. And He also knew that those things, that we call our weaknesses, would be the very things that He would use within us to show His strength. What does that mean? It means that He is going to use those things through us to help others find the hope that we have found!

Yes, I’ve been hurt deeply by other people. I have been wounded and scarred both mentally and emotionally. But God healed me of that and when He did, He turned me around and said, “Now, use that to help other women find hope that they are not alone. Help them find Me. Show them that they have purpose. Show them My love. Show them the way out.” These were not audible words, but a strong desire in my heart. I knew that this is what I was supposed to do. God used my key and unlocked the door. But I had to open it and step through. 

Shift our focus from the key itself to the door God can unlock with it. Use what you have — no matter how weak — and God will take care of the rest. ~From Gideon, by Priscilla Shirer

There are so many things going on in the world today. But you don’t have to be the victim of them. People are going to say and do hurtful things. They are going to say things about you that are not true. They are going to try to convince others that what they are saying is “the truth.” It is up to you to show them the real Truth. Jesus.

Most of my scars are from the past. But just because God healed me doesn’t mean that I don’t still run up against people who want to cause hurt. Because I do. I am. And that’s okay. My key is still helping me to unlock new doors. And I am still helping others learn to use their keys.

Don’t focus on your weaknesses as something that hinders you. Instead, let God use them to unlock the doors to what He has in store for you. You may just find something beautiful behind your door!