Keep my Hands Open

Something else occurred to me a couple weeks ago. It was really late and I was sitting in my cozy little nook in my room writing in my prayer journal. I came to a certain subject that had me quite worked up emotionally and was just weighing too heavily on my mind and heart. I lifted the pen and started crying out to God. "Please, God, just take it away. I need you to just take it away," was my plea. How often do I ask God to do such a thing, but in reality I want him to change the situation so that it makes me more comfortable? How often do I ask God to control something, when really what I'm asking is for him to make it go 'my way'? How often do I ask God to take something, when all along I'm still the one that's clinging to it for dear life? And that's when it hit me.

I need to keep my hands open at all times. 

The Lord gives, and he takes away. All the time he does this in our lives; it shapes us into the people he's called us to be. He may give us one thing for a little while, but then once its season has passed, he removes it. Other times, after he removes it, he brings it back once we're ready to handle it again. But all the while, we must keep our hands open; for, the things that he gives us -whether it be time, money, relationships, or any other good thing - still all belong to him! 

If I try and clench my fists around something that he has blessed me with and deceive myself into thinking that it is allll mine...well it's going to be a lot more painful for me if and when the time comes for him to take it away. Have you ever tried to get free something in the tight fisted grasp of someone else, especially a small child? It can be a long painful process that is essentially unnecessary. It is especially unnecessary when the one who is trying to take it away has something better to put in its place! And that is what God does: He gives and takes away things in our lives at just the right times all for our GOOD. 

What's more, say God takes something away and gives you something else; however, unbeknownst to you, later on he plans on returning it. Well, if we close our hands around whatever we're holding on to and claiming as our own, that leaves no space for God to continue giving new things or returning things that we once had because our hands are closed! 

I want to be someone who always has my hands open ready to encounter God and to receive the things he wants to give and to freely let go of the things he want take. If I constantly have my hands open, blessings will flow much more smoothly. I think, that if my hands are open, then when it comes time for him to take something away, I'll be ready and it won't hurt as much- if at all. If I keep my hands open, then I think it will keep my heart open as well. An open heart is one that in all circumstances is ready to trust in and praise God and to love people. An open heart is one that is more easily molded to look like that of Christ, which leads to a clearer representation of the Gospel in this fallen and sinful world. 

Needless to say, after this all hit me, my plea became, "Keep my hands open, Father. Please, just keep them wide open."

I hope this was as encouraging to someone else as it was to me.

Blessings to you!

Sarah