Open Hands

If I’m completely honest, I’ve been like Jonah fleeing in the opposite direction of Nineveh far more times in my life than I’d care to admit; sensing God’s direction, but instead choosing to follow my own tightly held plans.

And of course, like Jonah, I always end up right where God wanted me after a lot of unpleasant steps along the way.

A few years ago, a friend and I got together every Sunday evening for coffee. The only real purpose of the time was to talk and spend time together, but after a few weeks we fell into a rhythm of reviewing our sermon notes from our respective churches, discussing our own studies of scripture and what we were learning, and a time of iron-sharpening as we each listened and spoke truth to one another.

I don’t remember the details of the decisions my husband and I were facing at that time, but I vividly remember my friend asking me, while holding her hands open with her palms facing up, if I had given it to God. I’ll also never forget her challenging me to examine if I had truly as she pointed out areas where I had in fact tried to keep it under my own control.

Open hands.

Such a simple concept, but for me it’s often anything but simple to practice.

The end of 2022 and the start of 2023 were nothing that I thought they would be. Everything has gone wrong all at once.

It’s been HARD and EXHAUSTING.

But my friend’s words have come to mind often. I’ve found I’m asking myself continually if I have open hands. And in doing so I’ve found myself at the feet of Jesus a whole lot more. I’ve seen that I’m at the end of what I can do. He’s shown me how He has already been taking care of it. He’s shown me how all He needs me to do is get out of His way.

He needs me to open my hands. He needs me to let go. And I’ve heard the words given to David in Psalms 46:10 on repeat, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Be still. Or the more accurate translation, let go.

LET GO, and know that I am God.

Open your hands.

What I’ve found in opening my hands are my plans being replaced with something far greater - His.

There are no words to fully express the peace, the hope, the anticipation, the rest, and the abundance of grace that comes with holding His plans.

And oh the sweetness of prayers that have already been answered: yes, no, and wait. Answers that move us just enough forward to take the next step, but answers that also require us to seek Him even more as we wait on Him.

While it’s still hard, and it’s still exhausting, it’s bearable because we know it is His way.

So our prayers will remain as they’ve been, simply asking for clarity, wisdom, and obedience.

Letting go and having wide open hands might be hard, but I can testify that it’s this simple act that is how we’re still standing to testify of His goodness and faithfulness through it all.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21