June 22 – Living with Open Hands
When we put down our defensive control, we discover that life is much larger, much more generous, and much more God-filled than we imagined. Richard Rohr
Gregg’s Reflection
Living with open hands is one of the most freeing, yet most challenging, postures in the spiritual life. An open hand can receive, but it can also release. It means holding our time, resources, relationships, and even our own plans loosely enough that God can move them as He wills.
When my hands are clenched—around possessions, control, or even my idea of how life should go—I notice how quickly fear and scarcity creep in. But when I consciously open my hands, I’m reminded that everything I have is gift, and the Giver can be trusted.
This posture doesn’t mean passivity; it means active trust. It’s a willingness to engage fully with what God places in my hands, and then to let it go when the season changes. It is a quiet defiance against the lie that my life is my own to manage and protect.
Scripture
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 1:21
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Ancient Quotes
Detach your heart from all that is created, and you will find God.
John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Bk. 1, Ch. 13
Detachment is not that you should own nothing, but that nothing should own you.
Meister Eckhart, Counsels on Discernment, p. 74
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
Jim Elliot, Journal, p. 172
Modern Quotes
When we put down our defensive control, we discover that life is much larger, much more generous, and much more God-filled than we imagined.
Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs, p. 98
Journaling Prompts
- What are you holding tightly right now that God might be asking you to release?
- When have you experienced the freedom of letting go?
- How does living with open hands challenge your sense of control?
- In what area of life could you practice open-handed trust this week?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 25 Reflection: Letting Go/Surrender