Often when Jesus asks us to clasp hold of His outstretched hand, He is asking us a few questions too: Do we want to trust Him more than ourselves? Do we want to be healed? Do we want to be restored and let go of the old life that is causing us pain? He asks if we are willing to let go of the things we believe that are false, the feelings of unforgiveness, the wounds we believe can never be healed. We say we want God to pursue us. We say we are desperate for Him. But is this true? How do we accept God’s pursuit of our hearts?
 
If we asked Him, what might He say?
 

 
I’ve been here, you know. I’ve never left you, and I’m not going anywhere now. I don’t abandon my children. And my daughter, you are mine. Come closer now, dear one. Can you come closer? Can you see my eyes on you? Can you feel my hands on your cheek? There is joy coming, new things. Do you see it beginning? Do you know there is possibility of light ahead?
 
You are not in a dark place, my love. No, you are not in a dark place. You are in the place where I hold you. You are in the place where there is freedom and I hold you and you are safe. Lean in closer now. I want to show you a glimpse of the good I promise.
 
When you cling to me, holding fast to my hand, I will not be letting you fall. It will feel like falling. It will feel like a falling into darkness, emptiness, when you are in pain; but that is not what is true. When you are clinging to my hand, any falling you do will be a releasing of yourself into my arms, where I hold you and where I keep you so close to me. So what is it you need to let go?
 
You know what it is, don’t you? You know how you need to let go? .  . . Open your hands now, dear one. Open them up. Palms open, fingers spread. Open your hands and watch what I place in them.
 
Open them up, and you are letting go of control. Open them up, and you are letting go of fear. Open them up, and you are letting go of pride. Open them up, and you are letting go of doubt, of wondering where I was and how you can recover and be whole again. Oh girl, you are whole. I have you. I make you whole.
 
So, yes, keep those hands open. Let me place in them these gifts: Trust in Me, for I am not leaving you, daughter. Freedom, for a new thing is beginning in you. What was being held captive is being set free. Life, for your strength is my strength, my fearless one. You are mighty in Me, You are determined, in Me. I stand with you, and I go ahead of you. And you need not fear that what I have ahead for you is good—filled with hope amidst trials, peace amidst the unknown.
 
In the unveiling of truth, pain can come. It comes because there is a releasing—there is a death to what is false. And in that death you mourn what you knew . . . and you mourn what you realize you didn’t. Go forward now, my daughter. Go forward into what I have and don’t look back. Go forward, and I will be the one who heals your heart. Go forward, hands open, and I will unfold more of the truth of who you are, in Me.
 
You are being recreated now, my daughter.

Let’s keep going, shall we? Can we keep walking, hands open? Can you walk forward, knowing the journey ahead is yet full of unknowns, but that nothing is unknown to me? I have you. I have you. You are okay. You are my beautiful one. Come on now, my darling girl. You don’t have to be strong. I am the strong one. You don’t have to hold anything together. I am already holding you. I’ve got you. Let’s go. I’m not letting go.
 
Father, help us to hear you and accept your goodness for us. Help us to let go of all the things that prevent us from pursuing You with our whole hearts. Keep pursuing us, Father. And help us to pursue you right back.
 
 

Jennifer Camp grew up in the middle of an almond orchard in Northern California and now lives in the busy San Francisco Bay area with her husband, Justin, and their three kids. Connect with Jennifer, here, on her blog, where she wrestles with God about worship, imagination, and faith and loves to get to know women eager to hear God’s whispers to their heart. Jennifer is the co-founder of Gather Ministries and author of Loop: What Women Need to Know.