The Wrong Room

“The greatest blessings in life are not found in the world…”

On June 6, 1981, Doug Whitt and his new bride, Sylvia, were escorted into their hotel’s fancy bridal suite in the wee hours of the morning. In the room they saw a sofa, chairs, and table, but no bed. Then they discovered the sofa was a hide-a-bed, with a lumpy mattress and sagging springs.

After a fitful night’s sleep they woke up in the morning with sore backs. The new husband went to the hotel desk and gave the management a tongue-lashing.

“Did you open the door in the room?” asked the clerk.

Doug went back to the room. He opened the door they had thought was a closet.

And there, complete with fruit baskets and chocolates, was a beautiful bedroom!

How often we miss out on life’s greatest blessings because we are looking in “the wrong room.” We often look for happiness and fulfillment in the world. But we’re looking in the wrong place!

The world offers many pleasures. Some are acceptable to God; some are not. A beautiful sunset, the majesty of mountains, brightly colored flowers, and inspiring music are great blessings to man. But some, such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are sinful in God’s sight (1 John 2:15-17).

The greatest blessings in life—things like peace, love, forgiveness, and hope—are not found in the world; they are found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). And Jesus is the door through which we must enter to receive these truly great and lasting blessings (John 10:7-9).  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by through me” (John 14:6).

Have you been looking in the wrong room? Enter through the Door of Life on God’s terms and you’ll find, by God’s grace, the greatest blessings of all.  —David A. Sargent