Open Hands, Open Heart
Have you ever heard the phrase that when God closes one door, he opens another? (or sometimes a window, though I hope God doesn’t want to see my not-so-very graceful self trying to climb out a dang window). That would be amusing lol. However, the point is, we can’t move forward without openness. Even knowing that one door closed, we know there is one open, or at least unlocked, somewhere within our reach. It may be a hard door to find, but it’s there. There is always an unlocked door.
Where we tend to get stuck, where we get lost, where we get angry & frustrated is when we don’t like the door that’s open. Or maybe it’s closed, but unlocked, and we don’t want to try the handle. It’s requires too much of us - too much work, too much vulnerability, too much overcoming of fear. It might not have looked the way we thought it would look. So we sit, and we pout. We clench our fists, cross our arms, and pout. Often times, directly in front of the unlocked door.
Don’t forget though, opening that door still requires action our part. When we have our hands closed in pouting fists, there’s zero chance you can access whatever may be waiting for you. When we have our hands open to whatever the possibilities are, we in turn open our hearts to what’s in front of us as well. Think about it, if you have closed yourself off, you cannot receive, but you also cannot give. How are you going to give of yourself to others - your kids, your partner, your family & friends, if you are living life with closed hands? In the intentional opening of yourself, you are able to give freely and receive freely. I sometimes practice this literally. I found myself dropping my son off at school, and driving home and praying for God’s guidance. I would lay my hands, palm up and open towards the sky, hands resting on the steering wheel, and let God know - I’m open. I’m open to whatever He is asking of me, open to whatever I am called to do, open to wading through those waters. With an open hand, I’m free to hold His.
I challenge you today, assess your hands and your heart. Where are you closed off? Where have you been closed off for a long time? Where are you being called to find openness? Where are you being called to give? And where are you being led to receive? All of these things are part of your journey, your purpose, and your beauty. Find some openness in your day today and watch what flows into and out of your hands.
