by Marilynn Chadwick
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6 ESV).
There is strength in getting alone with God. The Bible tells us Jesus “withdrew often” to be alone with the Father. How much more should we? There’s no more important task on earth than seeking God. When trouble hits, I've learned to go into my room, shut the door, and seek God through his Word and prayer.
Sometimes God may close a door in our life so we have time and space to draw close to him. We get alone to shut God in, and to shut other things—like distractions and discouragement—out. Think about it. Some of God’s greatest miracles have happened behind closed doors.
A man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house. Jairus’s only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. While Jesus was still speaking to the group, Jairus received word that his daughter had died.
Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed” (Luke 8:50 NIV). When Jesus arrived at Jairus's house, "he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s mother and father” (v. 51).
In other words, Jesus shut the door. He shut some things—and people—in. And he shut others out. Then Jesus took the little girl by the hand and said to her, “My child, get up!” (v. 54). Her “spirit returned,” and at once she stood up, fully revived (v. 55).
We see another shut door in 2 Kings 4:20-37. A young boy had died, and his mother ran to the prophet Elisha for help. When the prophet returned, he found the boy dead on the couch. Elisha shut the door and went in with the mother where the two of them prayed for the boy. The prophet prayed fervently, and the boy was restored to life. Yet another miracle behind closed doors! (2 Kings 4:34-35).
So, when you are weak, worried, or weary and need to strengthen yourself in the Lord, remember to go to your room and shut the door to be alone with God.
God sometimes asks that we be quiet for a while, go to our rooms and shut the door. But take heart. Some of God’s greatest miracles occur behind closed doors.