Dear Father, When Noah, his wife, his sons, their wives, and all the animals entered the ark, Scripture records that “You shut him in.” They could have closed the doors themselves from within, but You took responsibility for locking the doors Yourself. A lot has crossed my mind, and I am amazed at how this scripture doesn’t necessarily speak to "doors being closed" not as much as it does about You assuming responsibility for their protection. Looking at this illustration from two perspectives: first, they were shut out from the rest of the world; next, they were shut in, enclosed by themselves. We may all relate to situations like this, and our perspective matters greatly. I’ve realized how difficult it can be to accept that 'this restriction might be for my protection.' Yet, paradoxically, there can be no progress without restriction. It is easier to assume that restriction means limitation and that solitude implies stagnancy. And It is easier to project negative outcomes from our experiences of confinement, yet the outcome is determined by how we manage the confinement. So, when You shut the door sometimes, two major things are involved—our protection and our growth, and in both, You remain faithful. #LettertoGod