The Right Keys for Your Journey

Having lived in my apartment for seven years, it was time to move. As I took the apartment keys off my key chain, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was excited I was leaving student housing; but on the other hand, I was faced with the challenge of a new chapter in my life. As I took my last walk to the office to drop off the keys, I reflected on my last seven years in an apartment that saw answered and unanswered prayers.

I did not realize that keys had the ability to communicate with such intensity as they did on this particular day. On any given day, keys speak of the locking and the unlocking of doors. On this day however, I was sensing a communication that spoke more to the battle of the mind. I needed to let go and trust God for what was next. Just as easily as I would unlock or lock a door, I sensed God pressing the same thoughts on my heart; you can easily lock or unlock the next journey of your life based on how you think and use the keys I have given you.

I felt the Lord speak to me concerning keys that I needed to use to either lock or unlock the doors that He has in store for me.

The Keys of Faith: Our Christian walk is that of faith. The agonizing fact about faith however is that it does not always yield the results we so long for. Just because we serve God faithfully does not mean “bad things” will not happen to us. Sometimes we hold God hostage because of what we have done for Him. We are afraid to realize that the keys of faith come with the questions of “Why Lord?” and sometimes faith is blind.

It is the blind faith in the midst of uncertainty that sometimes causes us to question our trust in God because we do not understand. Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Our assurance is God and our conviction is that He is faithful on His terms not ours. As I come to terms with my transition, I have to embrace the fact that it is okay to be uncertain; that comes with the territory of faith. However, I am not to stay there, but to press on patiently.

The Keys of Forgetting: One needs to have a short memory in life, forgetting the past.  The Apostle Paul was quick to realize this truth: “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus...forgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14) Sometimes we live in our past failures or successes. Could have, should have, would have, will never open doors, solve one’s problem, or bring about some resolutions to life’s most disappointing or successful journeys. We have to purposefully forget stuff and move on. It’s expedient!

The Keys of Fortitude: The Psalmist in Psalm 27:13 states, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes wait for the Lord.” When despair, discouragement, disappointments hits us, we have to constantly tell ourselves that we will see God’s goodness while we live on earth. The fortitude to believe this can be sometimes daunting when everything around us screams otherwise. It takes mental fortitude to stand on God’s Word even when the odds are against us.

There are other keys that we can use to lock or unlock the doors God has for us, such as fasting, prayer, forgiveness etc. It is realizing and being sensitive to what keys God wants us to use at certain times as we transition in life that will make us successful. Jeremiah 29:11 declares that God knows the plans that He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future.” The doors are there, the question is do we have the keys to either lock or unlock them?

Copyright © August 2008 by Towera Nyirenda. Used by permission.