Background: I’ve gone months without a relaxer. I love my beautician, and my hair loves her, but my schedule and resources have been missing each other lately. But the wonderful thing is that my untamed hair has been very cooperative, so the urgency i’ve had in the past to relax the kinky hair is not as pressing. I can manage it.
Kinky hair is just one additional thing that I have to manage in my daily journey. There are several changes I’ve made over the months that could have given rise to the manageableness of my hair. I can’t put my finger on it, but something has my kinky hair laying straight on command. Kinky hair isn’t an option, seeing as how I am of African American descent, and missed the genes with the American Indian hair. There are some things in our lives that aren’t straightforward, and can be difficult to manage. I’d be safe to say that we have challenges daily. You may have to deal with a vindictive boss or coworker. You may have a child that tests your parental limits, every day. You may have a health condition that restricts your life with side effects, ailments, use of adaptive equipment, and pain. These are things that are a part of our lives. We can’t just ignore them or cut them off. We must find a way to manage them.
18 She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust]. (AMP)
Trouble, privation (state in which things essential for human well-being such as food and warmth are scarce or lacking), sorrow. These things are common in life and we cannot run from them. But we must find a way to consistently shine despite these unavoidable situations. We have to modify our approach to make them manageable. How do we modify these situations in our life? Two things I see from this scripture. One, we must keep our lamp burning continuously throughout kinky situations and two, we must remember that God is with us and what we do is to please him. So when your crooked boss looks over your achievements and promotes someone else and not you, don’t forget that God is with you, even in your dark hours. Don’t quit under the premise of your boss being a jerk, be diligent and go through the time of trouble. When you receive that 3rd phone call this week regarding your misbehaving child, don’t throw up your hands and quit parenting. Keep the hope that whatever stage that child is going through, that they will come out without life scars and know that their parent(s) love them. If there is sickness in your body, don’t let it overtake you, and as a great preacher said today, don’t stop in the middle. Build up your faith so that you can sustain yourself through tough times.
Kinky circumstances are a part of life, but we must be strong in order to endure and trust in God that the kinks will smooth out. Our God is forever with us, His Holy Spirit showing us the best approaches to sustain ourselves during trouble.
References: Proverbs 31:18
