How to Escape a Revolving Door

I was laughing with my friend Joan yesterday as we prepared to travel together. We are going on Kathy Trocolli’s Among Friends cruise in just a few days! (I know, I know, poor me. If you can’t come, I am speaking on another cruise in October – check it out maybe you can join me on that one!)

Anyway as we were going over details, Joan said “I promise not to get you stuck in a revolving door on this trip!”

Yes, Joan and I were going through or at least attempting to go through, a revolving door once in a mall in Tulsa when Joan panicked. “How do we get through this? How do we get out of this?!” She didn’t think to ask those questions until our second rotation. Once she and I were in, she wasn’t quite sure how to get me (being blind) and her (being blonde), out of the door at the same time!

We obviously made it out and so I thought I would share with you how that miracle occurred.

Now, you may wonder why I share with you four very obvious fundamentals. It’s not because I feel blondes all over need these instructions (big toothy grin),  it’s because life is very similar to a revolving door at times and we all need to know how to get through it.

Here are 4 simple steps to get you out of the revolving door:

1. Calm down. When you feel stuck in a situation and you can’t seem to figure out how it will ever end or change, you first must be calm. Panic never increases our ability to think clearly. Panic triggers emotional thinking. When we think with our feelings, we let worry or fear guide us into further despair rather than allowing wisdom or truth to lead us out of our confusion.

2. Keep walking. You can’t make progress if you don’t progress. Just keep taking steps forward. Stepping back and going the other way isn’t an option in a revolving door and it isn’t an option in life either. So, keep walking; focus on the opening that is just around the bend. If you aim at nothing you will certainly hit it so take another step.

3. Push! Sometimes you just have to apply a little muscle to your situation. You have to apply a bit of spiritual strength, perseverance and tenacity. Push in prayer; push with discipline and push until you’re free!

4. Step out. Step out of that situation and don’t willingly step back in! Now, if life happens to you again in such a way that you find yourself spinning about, dazed in a trial you never expected, then, just start walking wisely through it again. But, if that revolving door was one you actually walked into willingly, learn from it and avoid it in the future.

So, for the visually impaired, the folically challenged, and most importantly, the humanly tested (which includes all of us):  walk wisely, walk well and walk on.

Question: Have you ever felt stuck in a revolving door? And, what did you do to get out? Leave a comment here.

Go deeper into this week's question in my Bible Study Bistro Facebook group. There's a community of 4:13ers waiting for you!

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Categories: My Thought Closet, The Blind Side
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