learning to open our hand

Lewis tells us about people who grasp things to their detriment today in A Year with C.S. Lewis.

He says that people cling to their "sulks", and refuse to apologize and make things right, but instead hold on to their grudges or their "self-respect" or their pride. He also mentions that we hold on to THINGS... that we get so attached to a certain pleasure that we refuse to let it go, even when it no longer satisfies.

And that brings us to the idea of the open hand. One thing that I've learned from reading various spiritual classics is that God loves an open hand. He loves it when we open ourselves to His will. When we let go of our preconceived notions of what our lives SHOULD be like, and when we let go of the things that we think we want instead of what He has for us. When we learn, like Mary, to say the great "Yes!" to God, we find miracles in our midst. When we lose our presuppositions about what things should be, and open ourselves to the reality of what He does have for us.... when we open our hands, He puts great blessings in them.

God, teach me to open my hand.