Screaming erupted,
accompanying the morning’s hair brushing session. Neglected only one day, my granddaughter’s long blond hair had turned into a tangled mess. We thought it would be okay to ignore our normal routine. We were just hanging out at home. It wasn’t like anyone would be seeing us. No big deal to let her hair go unbrushed. No big deal, that is, until it was. Now pain and tears were involved in the whole process of combing out the snarls.
How quickly life can end up the same way.
Our days seem smooth and easy. So much so, we begin to neglect simple ‘grooming’. We forget to pray; we put off looking into God’s Word; a day or two won’t really matter much. Before we know it, quite a few days have passed without God’s input. Without it, life begins to get tangled and snarled. To make it smooth again, whole lot of ‘brushing’ will need to happen. It’s a good thing the One doing the combing has a gentle touch.
As I consider this whole picture, I am reminded that it takes some time to work the tangles out of my granddaughter’s hair. There are some unpleasant moments, to be sure, but there also is quite a bit of time spent talking as we work on the tangles. Moments of I remember when are shared. A closeness is created through the process, and trust is developed. Before we realize it, beauty emerges from where the tangles once were.
Are you leading a snarled life?
I have been there. Yes, I believe it might have involved some screaming and tears, but God eventually smoothed out the tangles. One thing I know—I never want to go there again. To avoid the snarls, constant maintenance is required. I can’t allow much time to pass before I am in the Word and praying for guidance. Without it, I just feel unkept and disheveled, unable to function, and certainly not looking my best.
If you are unsure of where to start, begin with prayer. It is true, confession is good for the soul. A simple, “Hello, God, it’s me,” will get the process started. You’ll know what to say from there.
The practice of meeting with God . . .
on a regular basis to pray and study His Word takes time to develop. Once it is a habit, you will wonder why you ever neglected it. Peace is one bonus to regular ‘grooming’ your life with the Word. And that is a beautiful thing.
Patty, what a great message that hits home for us all.
Thanks, Beckie, for stopping by.
Very true, Patty! When we ignore our time with God, our lives do become tangled and painful all to quickly. And speaking of your granddaughter’s unruly snarls in her hair, mine suffers the same thing. Do get her tangles out, I spray on a product by Revlon called Uniq One. I use it myself after every shampoo. It really works miracles – no more tears! 🙂
Blessings!
Thanks for the tip! I use something similar, but she still cautions me to be more gentle. Maybe that brand will work better.
Thank you for the reminder.
Beautiful analogy!
Patty, what a great reminder to make sure I keep up my much needed time with the Lord on a regular basis. Thank you so much!