Right now, I’m sitting at my favorite coffee shop, drinking one of my favorite cups of tea (because I already had my one, allowed cup of coffee for the day), and I’m just in awe of how the Lord works. I’m looking around at the people coming and going through the doors, others sitting for extended periods of time, Christmas music playing through the speakers, and all I can think is, “God, you are awesome.”
It’s just one of those moments for me right now, a moment to sit back, take in everything around me, and to reflect on all that is happening. The past two weeks have been filled with meetings, appointments, gatherings, and get-togethers. You too? All of these meetings have somewhat shared a common denominator for me, though, and served to keep pushing me forward toward something huge, something that God placed on my heart and began stirring within my soul over two years ago. Two years of hoping, dreaming, anticipating, waiting, and now, I’m seeing threads come together. I’m seeing women come together. I’m seeing plans formulate before my very eyes. I’m seeing Him do what He said He was going to do.
I’m seeing God at work, doing what He does. Little miracles all over the place.
When I first began to even contemplate what God was calling me to, the only thoughts that seemed to race through my mind were thoughts of fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
“There’s no way, Lord.”
“I couldn’t possibly.”
“I’m not equipped.”
“I have no idea how to do this.”
“I can’t do this.”
And of course, the reality with much of what God calls us to is that we truly can’t do it—not on our own, anyway. And I think that is exactly the point. If we could do the things He asks of us, then we wouldn’t need Him. We would get the glory, not Him, when the task was accomplished. So, God gives us God-sized dreams, God-sized purposes, God-sized visions. And here is what I’m learning:
The only way we can even step into the purposes and plans God has for us is to live open-handedly.
What does that mean?
It means releasing our fears, doubts, uncertainties, trust issues, and inabilities, and grabbing hold of Jesus instead. We can’t cling to Him if our hands are already clenched around everything but Him. Living open-handedly also means saying, “God, all I have is yours—my time, my treasure, my talents. Use them just as you see fit. It’s a releasing of our plans, our agendas, our goals, and an embracing of His.
I don’t know what you’re dreaming about right now. I don’t know the plans and purposes that God has for you and whether or not He has begun to reveal those things to you. I do know this, though:
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21
We can plan, we can dream, we can pine after, but at the end of the day, it is the Lord’s plans that will prosper. So, are your plans in line with His? Are you choosing to live open-handedly? Are you willing to come alongside God and join Him in the work that He is already doing? Are your eyes and ears open to see and to hear Him?
Because what I’m learning is that when I choose to live open-handedly, even though much of what I was holding onto before is required of me to release, God seems to replace those things with far more than I could have ever imagined.
Such a beautiful post, Cherie. One thing my miscarriage experience taught me was living with open hands. Yes, we miscarried a baby but we also received our redemption baby a year later. What if I had closed my hands to another pregnancy?? Such an important lesson. I am so excited about your book, and about 2016…and your new baby!! I’d love to revisit some ways I can assist you on your journey.