Living with Open Hands

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will do this.

-Psalm 37:5

We like to hold on tightly, don’t we? To our plans, our expectations, our comfort zones. It’s human nature to cling to what feels safe, to try to control what we can. But here’s the thing about living with closed hands: you can’t receive anything new.

God invites us to live with open hands—not clenching tightly to what we think we need, but trusting Him to fill them with what we truly do.

The Fear of Letting Go
Letting go is scary. When I’ve faced seasons of uncertainty, my first instinct has always been to hold on—to try harder, to plan more, to keep a firm grip on what little felt within my control. But the tighter I held on, the heavier everything felt.

It wasn’t until I started loosening my grip that I began to understand the beauty of living with open hands. When we release what’s weighing us down—whether it’s fear, perfectionism, or even our own plans—we make space for God to step in.

Open Hands, Open Heart
Living with open hands isn’t just about releasing; it’s about receiving. It’s about trusting that God is a giver of good gifts, even if they don’t look like what we expected. When we stop trying to orchestrate everything, we can experience the freedom of being led by His gentle, loving hand.

I’ve experienced this in my own life time and time again. There were moments when I thought I knew exactly how things needed to go—when I had a picture in my head of what “success” or “healing” or “peace” should look like. But when those plans fell apart, I found myself in the uncomfortable yet sacred place of surrender. And in that place, God gave me something better than I could have imagined.

Ask Yourself:

• What am I holding onto too tightly right now?
• How can I open my hands and trust God with it?

How to Live with Open Hands

1. Release Control: Identify one thing you’re clinging to—an outcome, a fear, a plan—and pray, “Lord, I give this to You. Help me trust Your will over my own.”
2. Look for God’s Provision: Pay attention to how God provides for you in unexpected ways. Write them down as reminders of His faithfulness.
3. Practice Gratitude: Open hands are also thankful hands. Celebrate the blessings you already have, no matter how small.

An Invitation
Living with open hands doesn’t mean you won’t face uncertainty. It means you’ll face it with faith, knowing that God’s plans for you are good.

Today, take a moment to loosen your grip. Imagine yourself holding out your hands to God—not as a gesture of loss, but as one of trust. Trust that He knows what you need before you even ask. Trust that His timing is perfect. Trust that what He gives is always better than what you could have held onto.

Open hands, open heart. That’s where freedom lives.