Houdini, the famous magician and escape artist, could get out of any jail, handcuffs, or straight-jacket that he ever tried – that is, all except one.
That one place was a little jail in England. Houdini worked at the cell lock for more than two hours. He worked with that terrific speed that usually unlocked doors in thirty seconds. But he couldn’t get the lock to spring. Finally, tired out by his strenuous efforts, he leaned against the door. It swung open – it had never been locked!
Life is something like that, isn’t it? We build up barriers in our minds that do not exist. We lock ourselves up in the jail of failure by doubts and fears, that only live in our imagination.
I meet many people who seem to think that they can sort out their own lives, but they are doomed to fail as self-effort does not open every door but when we are empowered by God in our lives, He enables us to make the changes. Sadly, some of us have stopped trying, because of past failures – we think there is no use. We assume that the door to success has been locked against us. Maybe, if instead of sitting down and giving up, we would just lean against the door and with God’s help, it would swing open.
John.