When It Feels Like the Story’s Over
By Ellis White
Senior Pastor
Have you ever felt like a door just slammed shut in your face?
Something you had planned for. Hoped for. Dreamed about. And then—bam—it all ends suddenly.
Maybe it was a relationship that fell apart.
A job that didn’t work out.
A diagnosis that changed everything.
A prayer that went unanswered.
I know I’ve felt like that multiple times recently.
So did Paul.
In Acts 16, Paul is trying to follow God’s leading. He’s on mission, eager to preach the gospel—but the Spirit won’t let him go to Asia. Then he tries Bithynia. Another closed door. It must have been confusing and discouraging.
But God wasn’t saying “no” out of rejection—He was saying “not here, not now.” He was leading Paul to something greater: a vision of a man in Macedonia. A whole new region ready to receive the gospel. What looked like a setback was actually the setup for a bigger breakthrough.
And that brings us to Easter Saturday.
Jesus had died. His body laid in a tomb. The stone rolled into place. The door was shut.
For the disciples, this wasn’t just a closed door—it was the end of the road. Hope was buried. The story seemed over.
Psalm 88 says, “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths… darkness is my closest friend.”
That’s Saturday.
But God wasn’t done.
Just like with Paul, the closed door wasn’t the end—it was the hinge on which a greater plan would turn.
Because Sunday was coming.
And the tomb that looked like the final chapter was about to be revealed as the beginning of something brand new.
Maybe you’re in a Saturday season right now—staring at a closed door and wondering where God is in the silence. If so, I want to invite you to join us tomorrow as we celebrate the best kind of unexpected.
Come and experience the power of the open tomb—the hope that couldn’t be buried.
And it’s not too late to invite someone to join you. A simple text could open a door in their story. We have services at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 am—there’s still time to make plans.
Let’s show up expectant. The door may feel shut—but the story isn’t over.
Ellis