The Secret of Living Open-Handed

Aug 18

It is simple here, here with me. It is just us two. My strength, your strength. My heart, your heart. You can drop all that you are holding so you can more completely hold onto me.

Hold onto me, and let me hold everything else. Isn’t that better? Me holding you and the whole world?

* * *

Ah, you are here. Be here.

Look around you. Take in your surroundings: the light, the sounds. What do you notice? What do you see? Pause for a moment to consider how your surroundings are affecting you.

Take a deep breath. Then relax—or close–your eyes and continue breathing slowly and deeply for a few moments.

You are here. You are here.

Now, sit comfortably with your hands empty and open, palms face up, on your lap for a moment. Notice how it feels to sit here now, holding nothing, focusing on nothing but the rise and fall of your breath.

Let’s invite Holy Spirit into this space:

Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come into my heart. Let me feel your presence. Let me notice you resting here, with me.

Remain here for a few moments– palms still open, gaze still relaxed as Holy Spirit whispers to you: “Dear child, I want your full attention;/ please do what I show you” (Proverbs 23:26).

Now, consider what it is you usually hold in this life–all the things you hold in a single minute of a typical day. Picture each thing, your hand (representing your heart, your life) clasped around…

the people you hold
the work you hold
the memories you hold
the desires you hold
the worries you hold

Take your time. Imagine each thing you hold. Be gentle with your heart. Don’t rush.

And then, after a few moments, consider how you’d feel if you let each of those things go. Can you bear, right now, the thought of opening your hands, releasing your grip, and letting these people and things fall away from you?

Again, can you bear it?

Try to imagine yourself letting everything and everyone go. Imagine each of those things–people, work, memories, desires, worries…..whatever it is you hold–and releasing them, letting them fall, far away, from you.

Spend a couple of minutes imagining this happening. Draw a picture in your journal if this helps.

As you release everything, how do you feel? Are you able to let them go? And rather than trying to figure out what happens to these people and these things after you release them, imagine these people and things disappearing–that when you release them, you can’t see or feel their existence anymore.

God might be taking care of each thing or person, but you have no control. How do you feel about that? Do you feel okay? Tell Holy Spirit, deep within you now, what you think about this idea; if you let everything go, let everything you hold slip out of your hands, these things will disappear. Tell him about this–maybe even write your thoughts down in your journal.

Lord, I feel….

Next, imagine Holy Spirit asking you these questions:

What–and who–makes up who you are? What–and who–defines you? What–and who– are you holding onto that claims your existence, your purpose, your worth? If everything you are holding were taken away, what would you have? Who would you be?

In your journal, spend 20 minutes having a conversation with God about these ideas. Draw or doodle or write. Notice if there is any tension you are feeling from being asked these questions. Is there any resentment, confusion, or fear? What does God say to you, in your heart, in response?

Now let your heart ponder these verses about (1) God’s identity and (2) your identity in Christ.:

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46: 10).

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

When we let go of what we hold onto in this world, we can be tempted to believe that our life matters less, that we matter less. We can be disorientated because we have placed our identity in the things that we hold rather than in the security of God.

Hear Holy Spirit’s whisper to you:

I will never stop tiring of telling you: I love you, I love you, I love you.

What do you say in response? What new picture of yourself, as God’s beloved–open-handed–is he inviting you to see? Trust that he will show you what he wants you to know–living with him, unencumbered, trusting, with a heart of surrender.

Thank you, Lord. Amen.