When All the Doors Have Closed
Let Faith Be the Fuel, Not the Last Resort
by DR. D Ivan Young, MCC, NBC-HWC
At first glance, everything looks aligned—your programs are in motion, your platform is growing, and momentum seems to build. But beneath the surface, it’s a different experience. Despite your dedication, the results don’t quite match the effort. You sense something deeper is at work, though it’s hard to name.
I know that space, not as defeat, but as a call to presence. This season invites me to slow down, refocus, and get intentional. I choose to meet uncertainty with clarity and surrender, not as a last resort, but as a strategy. When All the Doors Have Closed: Let Faith Be the Fuel, Not the Last Resort. This isn’t about waiting for something to change; it’s about shifting how I show up while things realign.
So instead of pushing harder, I listen deeper. This is where divine timing begins to unfold—and where aligned action becomes more powerful than force.
Divine Timing Is Not Delayed Timing
But here’s what I now recognize: divine timing is never random. It’s intentional, precise, and often operates beneath the surface. What feels like a delay is actually alignment taking place in the background. The right people, the right moment, the right energy—it all needs to come together in a way that honors the significance of what you’re carrying. That’s not punishment—it’s protection.
I’ve done the work—prayed hard, planned well, and showed up fully. Yet, despite it all, the doors just don’t open when I expect them to. But as I pause and reflect, I see clearly—God isn’t saying no. He’s saying, not like this. He’s setting the stage. He’s building the foundation. And yes, He’s strengthening me in the process.
So if you’re in a season that feels still, know this: you’re not being left behind. You’re being positioned. When All the Doors Have Closed: Let Faith Be the Fuel, Not the Last Resort. Divine timing isn’t a delay in destiny—it’s the hand of God placing you exactly where you need to be, exactly when you need to be there.
Now that you understand how divine timing works, the question becomes—how do you move forward with wisdom? How do you hold space for both faith and intentional decision-making? That’s where the sacred partnership between Faith and Decisional Balance comes into play. It’s not either/or—it’s both/and. Let’s explore how aligning your spirit with your strategy opens doors no force ever could.
Faith and Decisional Balance: A Sacred Partnership
You know that powerful saying, “Faith without works is dead”? It’s so true – our beliefs often call us to take action. But have you ever thought about the flip side? Sometimes, jumping into action without careful thought, without discernment, can actually lead us down paths that aren’t right for us, causing more harm than good.
That’s where a helpful idea called Decisional Balance comes in. Think of it as your friendly guide for making thoughtful choices.
What is Decisional Balance? Let’s Use an Analogy:
Imagine you’re standing in front of an old-fashioned balancing scale – the kind with two dishes.
- On one side, you place all the pros – the good things, the benefits, the reasons why you should make a particular change or take a certain step.
- On the other side, you place all the cons – the downsides, the costs, the reasons why you might hesitate or stick with the status quo.
Decisional Balance is simply the process of carefully looking at both sides of that scale. You’re weighing the potential gains against the potential losses to figure out the best path forward for you. It’s about getting clear before you leap.
Bringing Faith into the Balance
Now, when we bring our faith into this process, that balancing act becomes even more meaningful, almost sacred. It’s not just about logic; it’s about listening to that deeper wisdom inside us and seeking alignment with our values and purpose.
It helps us ask that vital question: “Does this opportunity truly align with my path, or is it just available?”
It’s easy to get excited when a door swings open, but wisdom asks us to pause and discern if it’s truly the right door for us right now. Conversely, just because a path feels hard doesn’t automatically mean we should force our way through it with sheer effort.
How to Cultivate Faith and Decisional Balance: 5 Practical Steps.
When all the doors have closed, the most powerful thing you can do isn’t to panic—it’s to pause and realign. This is the space where faith and decisional balance become your spiritual GPS. Together, they help you move with confidence, not confusion. Here are five practical, purpose-driven steps I use to stay grounded when everything around me feels uncertain.
1. Begin with Stillness and Presence
When you feel overwhelmed, stillness becomes a sacred strategy. Before making a move, create space to simply be. Even five minutes of silence helps you hear beyond the noise and reconnect with divine alignment.
2. Pray for Purpose, Not Pressure
Shift your prayer from “What do I do?” to “What is aligns with my calling?” This posture opens you to spiritual clarity. You begin to notice the difference between pressure-driven action and purpose-led decisions.
3. Ask: What’s Driving This?
Faith-based discernment means checking your motives. Is your next move rooted in trust—or in the fear of missing out? When the energy behind your decision feels chaotic, it’s a sign to pause.
4. Apply the Mirror Test
Look yourself in the eyes and ask: If this door opened today, would I be ready to walk through it with integrity, clarity, and peace? If not, that’s not a failure—it’s preparation.
5. Surround Yourself with Aligned Counsel
Spiritual growth requires wise voices. Seek guidance from mentors and advisors who speak life, not fear. But always check their advice against your own inner knowing and faith.
When all the doors have closed, remember: this isn’t the end of your story. It’s an invitation to deepen your discernment and strengthen your alignment. Let faith be the fuel, not the last resort. With intentional steps and spiritual strategy, you move forward—not just with direction, but with divine authority.
Walking with Faith and Wisdom
Faith and wisdom truly need to walk hand-in-hand. Maybe you’re in a season right now where you need both: deep trust and honest self-reflection. It’s okay to take inventory and ask:
- What’s genuinely draining my energy?
- What roles or tasks no longer feel aligned with my core purpose or calling?
- Where have I been pushing and striving when perhaps I need to seek flow and guidance instead?
Sometimes, faith looks like courageously moving forward. Other times, the most faithful action is to wait with intention, listening, and seeking clarity. Discernment is that beautiful, essential bridge between the two, helping us know when to step out and when to pause, guided by both our inner compass and thoughtful consideration.
What Divine Intervention Actually Looks Like
Let’s talk about miracles—not the movie kind, but the real ones.
Divine intervention doesn’t always show up with flashing lights or angelic choruses. More often than not, it shows up in small, quiet breakthroughs that only make sense in hindsight.
I recently experienced one of those moments.
There was a day not long ago when I hit a wall—emotionally, mentally, spiritually. I had done everything “right.” I showed up, I prayed, I delivered, I gave. Still, I felt like I was standing at a locked door with no key in sight.
I asked for help. Nothing.
I knocked. Still closed.
So I turned inward. I prayed not for relief, but for realignment. “God, if I’m not supposed to push here anymore, show me where to shift.”
Within 48 hours, two unexpected doors cracked open—not because I chased them, but because I released the ones that were closed.
After months of trying to break in, a Fortune 50 company unexpectedly reached out about a high-level executive team coaching engagement. Just 48 hours after our first conversation, they sent a deposit—and the balance was paid in full one week later. That moment marked a major shift. But what followed revealed just how deeply divine timing was at work.
A few weeks later, a publishing opportunity that I thought had gone cold suddenly resurfaced. It’s from a company that had initially shown interest, made me an offer, then went silent for weeks. I prayed for clarity—either to release the hope of working with them or to remain patient if it was still meant to be. Not long after that prayer, they reached out again.
But here’s where it gets even more aligned: during that season of silence, I contacted a senior executive at a publisher I had dreamed of working with since my very first book. To my amazement, that senior editor responded directly and immediately expressed interest in my latest project. That alone felt like a miracle.
Not only is this second publisher more aligned with my core values and divine purpose—they’re also in a stronger position to make an offer that aligns with my beliefs and core values.
Wherever I ultimately land, one thing is certain: this isn’t just about business. It’s about divine intervention, alignment, and returning to purpose. After a long season of uncertainty, I’ve moved from discouragement to deep clarity—and for the first time in a while, I feel myself walking in alignment with something greater than myself.
That’s divine intervention.
Not because I earned it. Not because I manipulated it. But because I surrendered. I aligned. And I stayed open.
You Haven’t Been Forgotten — You’re Being Fortified
When all the doors are closed, the temptation is to believe something is wrong with you. But what if this is the season where everything right within you is being developed?
What if this “pause” is the proof that you’re being fortified, not forsaken?
You’re not behind—you’re being built.
You’re not delayed—you’re being designed for something that takes longer because it lasts longer.
Keep Showing Up with What You Have
You may not have every resource, but you still have your voice. Wisdom. Resilience. and most of all your calling.
Faith isn’t passive belief—it’s active alignment. This means showing up when it doesn’t make sense, giving while you’re still waiting, and preparing even when nothing seems to move.
That’s the posture of someone who understands that divine timing may be invisible—but it is always intentional.
Reframe Closed Doors as Holy Protection
Some doors are closed because they were never meant to open. Others are closed because the timing isn’t safe yet. And occasionally, they’re closed because you were meant to build a new door entirely.
As Dr. Caroline Leaf reminds us, the thoughts we dwell on shape our experience of the world. What we call rejection may actually be re-direction.
Source
Instead of grieving every closed door, bless it. Be grateful for the job that didn’t hire you. Thank God for the partnership that didn’t work out. Bless the deal that fell through. Then ask yourself, What is this making room for?
Because I promise you—it’s making room for something.
Dr. D. Ivan Young, MCC, NBC-HWC, is a Master Certified Coach, relationship and behavioral neuroscience expert. He is a Fellow at the Institute of Coaching at McLean, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, and holds advanced certifications in emotional intelligence, personality typology, and lifestyle medicine. With over two decades of experience, his work bridges evidence-based coaching with spiritual development, focusing on personal growth, relational healing, and the power of faith during life’s most challenging transitions for executives, entrepreneurs, licensed professionals and public figures.