Once we’ve embarked on a journey to live our lives through, for, and with God, we want to be sure that we are deeply committed to Him and to His plan. To do that, we will have to set aside our own plans and be open to receive all that God wants to give us.

This openness to receive all that God wants to give us is what acceptance is all about. It means taking and receiving all of life, the joys as well as the sorrows. Acceptance is a posture of openness before God and trust that He is with us and is refining us and making us holy, especially when things are not going as we thought they would or believe they should. It means letting go, and not being anxious about the future because all of it is resting firmly in God’s hands.

Throughout his life, Jesus experienced opposition, rejection, pain, humiliation, and loss, but he always moved forward in faith, open to receive all that he encountered for love of God. Jesus’ posture on the crucifix is the ultimate example of acceptance. Certainly, this was not what he desired, but his arms are wide open to God and His will. As he breathes his last breath, Jesus cries out: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Today, open your heart and soul wide to receive all that God wants to give you. Pray for the grace of accepting and fully trusting His will for you. You may decide to pray with your hands open instead of folded.

• Pray the Advent Prayer..

• Click the video below to listen to today’s song for reflection.

• Prayerfully read Matthew 6:25-32.

• For more inspiration, you may choose to read Open to Receive sometime today.

• Pray for the grace of wanting and choosing only what God wants.

Song: Open Hands