The Door You Keep Trying to Reopen

Sometimes the hardest part of moving forward is letting go of what we thought life would be. Stop reaching for the handle.

#MindsetMonday • 10:45 a.m. Oct. 26, 2026

Have you ever spent so much time staring at a closed door that you completely missed the ones standing wide open?

I've done it. More times than I’d like to admit. An opportunity falls apart, or a relationship changes. Something you worked your tail off to build doesn’t turn out the way you envisioned. Then, instead of accepting what’s happened, you keep reaching for the handle. One more conversation. One last shot. One more chance to make something work that might simply be over.

I’d like to think that most of my life has been spent believing that most obstacles can be overcome with enough tenacity, discipline, and commitment. I still believe that. I’ve also learned some hard lessons along the way. There’s a difference between refusing to quit and refusing to let go. One is courageous; the other is ego.

That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for those of us who pride ourselves on being fighters. Think about it, though. How often do we convince ourselves that our refusal to let go is really “determination?” How many times is it not really the opportunity we’re holding on to, but our ego? Our need to be right about the choice that got us here? Our refusal to admit that something we wanted so badly just wasn’t meant to work out?

Here’s the hard truth: We can become so attached to the life we pictured that we miss the life unfolding in front of us. We replay the conversation. Revisit the decision. Replay in our minds what could have been. All while the people and responsibilities God has placed in front of us are asking for our attention today.

I'm not suggesting every disappointment is God shutting a door. We should be careful about claiming to know His reasons. I am, however, suggesting that faith means trusting Him enough to move forward without having every question answered. It takes me right back to my favorite verse, which we talked about last week.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

So this week, do an internal assessment. What are you still trying to reopen? Is it an opportunity, a grudge, an old identity, or a version of your life you thought you had to have?

Pray for discernment. Seek wise counsel. Do your part. If it's time to release it, let’s stop calling it a loss.

You cannot fully embrace what's next while holding so tightly to what was.