Testimonies

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I prayed diligently that God would open a door if he wanted me to share something.  It seemed I had the answer when another shared instead in a similar way.  Therefore I put the matter to rest and enjoyed the flow and content of the meeting.  But then an impression came that I was to share after all based on the direction that meeting had taken.  There was no "door opened" for me except the shift in emphasis,  but I felt confident opening the door myself, and when I did the leader of the meeting cooperated and those present were attentive and responsive.  I believe God answered my prayer but He used me to open the door by giving me the strong conviction and assurance that it should be opened for his glory and our good.  I seemed to open it with divine energy.   It could have been shut back in my face but I don't think it usually works that way in a matter like this.  It required of me to trust and depend on Him more than would have been required if the door had been opened for me or the opportunity dropped in my lap. 
Being guided in this way I believe I actually grew more in my faith and am stronger today for it.  This isn't to say there won't be doors opened for me instead of by me in the future, but when it doesn't work that way and some further action is required of me, I won't be so surprised.  I will know that God leads that way sometimes.  In fact, maybe some of the waiting many of us do for doors to be opened on our behalf is due to the fact that some of these doors we ourselves can open,  in deeper dependence on Him than we've had to demonstrate till now.  It's another example of our waiting for God to act when God may be waiting for us to act.  And that's a recipe for nothin happening if there ever was one!

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