Living Open-Handed: Devotions for Surrendering Control and Finding Joy in the UnexpectedSample

He Sees What You're Trying to Hide

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. PSALM 51:12

Relationships can be so hard. There are two ways people relate and communicate today that could drive even the calmest saint up a wall—giant group chats and ghosting in conflict. It’s just too hard to keep up in the group chats, am I right? By the time I can look at it, the topic has changed twenty-eight times and I’m completely lost. And then there’s “ghosting in conflict.” This refers to the act of abruptly ceasing communication with someone during a disagreement, essentially disappearing from their life without explanation. We all know it would be easier to just stop talking about the conflict at hand, and pretend it didn’t happen, but what does that resolve? If we aren’t willing to have tough conversations, we will miss out on the joy and fellowship that come from having lasting and meaningful relationships.

This is what God wants with us. A lasting, meaningful relationship—one that doesn’t go silent when conflict arises, one that doesn’t exit the scene when the going gets tough. He wants us to lean in. If we come to God with a heart broken, He will not despise it (Psalm 51:17). We can go to Him with our wrongdoings, and He will forgive them. We can go to Him with our struggles, and He will provide a way. We can go to Him with our pain, and He will comfort us.

King David knew this. He knew he needed God’s mercy and compassion. But he also knew he needed to have an honest conversation with God to experience the joy of the Lord he had enjoyed before. We cannot have a thriving relationship with the Lord by walking away when we don’t think He will like what we’ve done, or by neglecting to talk to Him when we feel as if He will be disappointed in us. He sees it all! And He promises to wash it clean as snow. Open up to Him today—don’t hide anything back—and experience His peace, freedom, and joy.

Maker of complete joy, maker of me, please help me see what I have tried to conceal from you, and help me acknowledge it. Thank You, Lord, for loving me enough to help me grow and cover me in grace. Amen.

Reflect: Open your hands and hold out anything you keep close to your heart. Ask God for His comfort, guidance, mercy, and forgiveness.