Welcome Doorway, click for larger view and availability.
I was speaking somewhere and made reference to my art. Afterward a young man came up to me and said, “My brother’s an artist, and struggling. Would you have any advice for him?”
I thought it a strange question, not because the question was strange, but that it wasn’t coming from the struggling person. How could I answer? I couldn’t even see the person’s work, or hear his story, or form any idea at all what his particular struggles might be?
Then it came to me. “Yes,” I said, “Tell him this: Walk though every door that opens, and knock on all others.”
With that the man looked at me a moment, thanked me and walked away. I’ve never seen him again, and I have no idea how the advice was received.
But through it, I received something myself; and I’ve since passed it on to many others.
Our struggles are often due to lack of opportunities. We do have something to contribute. Yes, our quality could be better, should be better . . . but the honing comes from the doing. And we need reasons to be doing. We need openings. We need someone somewhere to need us.
That’s where the doors come into play. When we’re asked to do something, or see opportunity where we can contribute something, that’s an opening. Take it. Doing it provides the focus, the occupation, the chance to refine our skills. And likely it’ll be a chance to try something new.
Moreover, the focus becomes “for others,” getting our minds off our preoccupying selves. And that’s a gift right there.
So is just being “busy.”
Then, as you’re walking along, working along, occupied with the challenges at hand, there will be other doors in the periphery of your path. Who knows what’s behind them, or which will open if knocked on? Just knock as you go. Knock on a lot. All you need is one at a time.
The counsel was for a struggling artist. But which of us isn’t a struggling artist at one time or another? The principle is for all.
Doors are everywhere. Enter the one open before you now, and get knocking on others.
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
12:47 pm
Good Stuff Hyatt….That is a universal truth… but how many times do we do that. My reaction is… we don’t more that we do. There lies the challenge.
3:58 pm
Thank you Hyatt, that is good advice…It made me think of Terry, he was a master of that.
7:34 pm
Hi Hyatt
Reminds me of our Lord’s words in Mathew 7:7 “Ask and it Iwill be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you……and to the one who knocks the door will be opened.”
Thanks for the reminder.
Jim
2:15 am
Knock knock
7:41 am
Loved this Hyatt, as I think of our partnership in business.. Thank you for such an open heart to go fishing with your work… as you have also talked about before… I love your thoughts about staying busy, going through every door that is open, staying open to new ideas and going through new doors, and letting God lead… Great one! Thank you.. Blessings! Lisa
5:45 pm
“Walk though every door that opens, and knock on all others.” So relevant to me now. Marty knows and can explain when Anne and you see her next.
6:48 pm
Loved it and will truly pass it along. I like the part ” honing comes from the doing”.
And how we need to see opportunities as a chance for growth. Great words and writing.
7:31 pm
As always, GREAT! Love Hyatt IV “knock, knock”…..could he possibly be a Moore?
7:33 pm
As always, GREAT! Love Hyatt IV “knock, knock”…..could he possibly be a Moore?
7:40 pm
Love the door painting!
8:21 pm
Very good advise …. For any situation….. The little painting of the door is charming. Knocking on doors can be scary… but not that one.
8:27 pm
Yes…this is a truth that transforms…and oh so timely! Glad I tuned into you “never” blank slate today!
4:37 pm
Makes you wonder about the doors you never opened. But next time . . .
Thank you, Hyatt for a wonderful lesson in opportunities.
10:27 am
Hyatt this is very timely. I think God is trying to tell me something. I am doing a study on faith and was under the impression that we should walk through open doors but walk by the closed ones;that God was doing the opening and closing. Through my studying and your blog He is showing me otherwise.