Combing Out

Yesterday, I had a friend facing what could have been a very traumatic ordeal. I woke up with her on my mind and as I sat alone with the Holy Spirit, I kept praying for His peace to overtake her. What I read in Jesus Calling made me teary, because I knew He'd written it for my friend.

Problem is, she doesn't have a copy of the book. So I thought I'd post the quote on Facebook. Trouble with that was I knew she wouldn't have time to check FB before her day began. Holy Spirit said..."Text her". So I did.

It took three texts and that was only half of the message. It's such an amazing message for all of us that I feel compelled to share it here today:

"I speak to you from the depths of your being. Hear Me saying soothing words of Peace, assuring you of My Love. Do not listen to voices of accusation, for they are not from Me. I speak to you in lovetones, lifting you up. My Spirit convicts cleanly, without crushing words of shame. Let the Spirit take charge of your mind, combing out tangles of deception. Be transformed by the truth that I live within you.
The Light of My Presence is shining upon you, in benedictions of Peace. Let My Light shine in you; don't dim it with worries or fears. Holiness is letting Me live through you. Since I dwell in you, you are fully equipped to be holy. Pause before responding to people or situations, giving My Spirit space to act through you. Hasty words and actions leave no room for Me; this is atheistic living. I want to inhabit all your moments--gracing your thoughts, words, and behavior."
Romans 8:1-2
Colossians 1:27
I Corinthians 6:19

Combing out. What a great visual reminder to me of just how easily I get caught up in the seemingly tiny deceptions that satan sets out to trap me. "Voices of accusation", "shame", "deceptions", "hasty words and actions", "no room for (Him)" and "atheistic living" can describe any number of arrows hurled at me or from me throughout a typical day.

We were made for more than that, weren't we? Absolutely!

But God never promised it would be easy, did He? And I love this idea of letting Him comb out the deceptions. I have three daughters...I've done my fair share of detangling hair. I even have one that has a very sensitive head, although they've all done their fair share of jumping, yelling "OUCH!", crying, pleading with me to "STOP!!!!" and a few times just getting up and running out of the room to avoid the inevitable untangling that needed to be done.

Metaphorically (& sometimes literally!), don't we do the same thing to God when He attempts to untangle the deceptions that are comfortable to us? Honestly? I have. I'm guessing that we've all yelled "Enough!", "STOP!!!!" and even run away when He's tried to gently and tenderly comb out the tangled knot of deception.

Deception is where we're comfortable right? Think about it. If you've had the opportunity to come face-to-face with the dysfunction in your family, the arrogance and pride you've hidden behind, the cloud of doom, shame, blame or guilt surrounding you and actually had the courage to deal with it...you know what I mean. It's tough work!

But if you've ever had the pleasure of combing through your child's tangles...no matter the tears, the screams, the pain, the stress, the length of time...when that shimmering, smooth, soft, beautiful hair cascades freely down over their shoulders...you realize it was worth it all.

As one who had to face her family's and her own dysfunction, as one who has dealt with my own guilt, shame, pain, arrogance, pride, judgment, deceit, pretension, etc., etc. etc. I can wholeheartedly and honestly disclose to you a secret that your enemy does not ever want you to know...every tear, every pain, every minute of sitting still while He combed out the tangles was worth it all!  The free flowing beauty and awareness of His love, mercy and compassion far out pays anything I had to endure.

One more thought...He can't comb out and detangle a moving target. If you're on the run, He will chase you...but He can't do the work until you sit still. Maybe take a lesson from my 11 year old, Rebekah...the sensitive-headed child. You see, she learned a few years ago that if she read a book while I combed out her hair, the distraction lessened the pain.

If you have some tangles of deception that need combed out, my best advice would be quit running, pull up a chair and grab His Book. Start reading and let Him distract you from the pain with His Love.