Recently, my thoughts have turned to open hands. I wonder if they way I hold my hands – open or closed – is a symbol of my openness to Him and His will. To what He is doing in and through me.
I think about things that are happening in my life and I wonder, WHY? Why, Lord? Why THIS? Why NOW? Why AGAIN?
I am really working on being open to receiving ALL that He has for me…even the things that don’t seem to be “good things” at the particular moment in which they are occurring.
But, how much can I RECEIVE if my hands are closed?
Sometimes I feel like Isaiah…
I feel like Isaiah because I feel like much of what I do on this earth is in vain. Sometimes, I wonder what the plan is for my life. Thankfully, Isaiah reminds me that my reward is NOT here, it is NOT on this earth. It is yet to come.
So, when life gets me down, when I am at a loss and feel like I am at the end of my rope…I can remember the best is yet to come. He is in charge and all I do is NOT in vain.
Lord, thank you for the reminder that my reward is not on this earth. Thank you for reminding me that I do NOT have to understand to believe and that I do not have to have things under control because YOU handle the controls. Lord, please help me to keep my hands and heart open to receiving ALL that you have for me.
Do you ever feel like you are laboring in vain? Do the actions of your children make you wonder who raised them? Do the times you try to do the right thing and it blows up in your face make you wonder if it is worth the trouble? Rest assured, my friend, if you experience these feelings, then you are NOT alone. But take comfort in the fact that your reward is not here!
Open hands…open to receiving ALL that HE has for me.
Believing I don't have to have it all under control. That's a difficult one for me.
Wonderful post Mary. We can only do our best and put the rest in God's opened hands. As humans, we just want to take it back from Him. It's a hard thing to do. So, keep you hands open and place them securely in God's. A big hug to you!
Thanks so much for your email Mary. So nice to be thought about in my absence. I will be back to blogging in the next few days. I'm actually adding a new photo blog that I'm working on. The Lord was just showing me this week that in every area of my life where I am struggling it is because I want to be in control. I fight letting go sometimes. I didn't even realize it until he showed me so clearly a pattern of control. I'm finding freedom in releasing the tight grip. See more of you soon . . .
Yes, you are right. Our reward is in heaven. I have also found that when I take a closer look, God is doing work despite my plans. Lots of times the result is not what I expected and, therefore, easy to miss. Focusing on Jesus cures my myopic view.
So needed these words today – thanks for sharing them. The feeling that my labor has been in vain has been weighing on me. Situations with children who were raised better, farm animal trouble (we have predators here – perhaps a predator is the problem with the children as well) – it all seems so empty.
Then the encouragement…"Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand,and my reward is with my God". He is in charge and all I do is NOT in vain. Blessings to you Mary!