Openness and trust are often symbolized with open palms. Gentle, open hands raised in worship convey both a willingness to receive and a desire to surrender to whatever God, in His sovereignty, has planned. It’s an image and a posture that I desperately want to want my life to reflect…until I stubbornly close my fists and cling tightly to my schedule, my dreams, and my ideas about what life should look like.
Thankfully, God has taught me a lot about what it means to let go of my best laid plans and live with open palms.
There were many moments when I would cry from the uncertainty of it all, unsure of what to do next.
In November 2019, just before the pandemic, the company where my husband had worked for over a decade started to struggle. Marcus eventually stopped being paid, and we were faced with all sorts of unknowns when it came to what was next for our family. Adding to the pressure of finding a new job and making ends meet, we went into quarantine and the fear of whether or not work would even be available was a very real concern. While I wish I could say that my confidence in God’s will at that time was an unwavering bulwark, there were many moments when I would cry from the uncertainty of it all, unsure of what to do next.
But God, of course, met us right where we were.
It’s incredible how I can look back over a season and see His faithfulness. It wasn’t long before our prayers began being answered in ways we could never have expected. From freelance work to an anonymous check in the mail to an incredible Christmas gift from dear friends that was beyond anything we could have asked or imagined…God continuously showed up and faithfully provided. Not only were our physical needs met, but He also provided wisdom and encouragement through friends and believers who helped remind us of Truth when we felt discouraged. God illumined my heart to see the many different ways He was refining my faith as I trusted Him.
Before November 2019, Marcus and I didn’t have an inkling that we were going to walk through a job transition, a pandemic, or the year that was 2020…but we now can say that we know God was with us through it all.
While there are moments when I still want to close my fists around my ideas of what life should look like, I know that God wants me to live within His will. He wants me to trust that no matter where He may lead, He is going to be with me, guiding and teaching in ways that I may not have chosen, but that clearly and evidently display His glory, grace, and love.
James 4:13-15 says: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”
God knows that life this side of eternity is short, and He desires for His people to experience a closeness with Him that can only come from surrendering every best laid plan in exchange for receiving Jesus, Himself, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He is the sweetest reward, the richest prize, and the ultimate joy, peace, and fulfillment of our ever-wandering hearts.
I’m praying that God always helps me live with open palms that represent a desire to live as He wills, so that I may always find myself drawing nearer to Him – no matter what tomorrow may bring. Whether it’s a job loss, a pandemic, or a painfully difficult year, Christ Jesus is on the throne, and He promises that when I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me (James 4:8). He will never leave us. We can trust His faithfulness to carry us close, see us through, and walk with us in every season.
Lisa – I am just re-reading this for the encouragement. I need this wonderful reminder that the greatest security actually comes from releasing my grip on my version of how life should go. Thank you!!!