Trust the Process
Approximately 10 years ago, I decided to start wearing my natural hair and to leave the chemicals alone. I had made up my mind that I was going to do something extreme--in my humble opinion--and start wearing locs. Well, it was a process. Initially, it sounded like a great idea, especially when I looked at my best friend’s hair and she had been wearing locs for about 10-12 years at that time. I was looking for a change in my appearance. After working for a corporation for 21 years 7 months and 10 days, where the major theme was “conformity and uniformity,” I decided that my hair was going to be “free.”
When I began my loc journey, I was a little disheartened. I wanted the long flowing locs like my friend’s, but that's not how the process began. They were short, not flowing and not really what I was going for. My hair didn’t touch my shoulders and I couldn’t put it up in an updo. I couldn’t pull my hair back into a ponytail, neither could I make a nice bun on the top. I was stuck with hair that barely hung around my neck and that was that. I found myself wishing, longing, and hoping for my hair to just hurry up and grow; to be flowing and flying in the breeze, swaying from side to side, and to be “beautiful.” Let me tell you, that wasn’t the way it happened! I had to wait.
At times, I got discouraged, but I had to wait it out. I didn't lose hope completely nor did I cut my locs off. I just had to endure the process. It was the process of going through the stages that resulted in my hair transforming into the look I was desiring. I had to learn to be patient.
We have to trust the process while refining our beauty...physically and spiritually. A few months ago, Pastor Ron DeBerry taught and he mentioned the scripture, Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all of our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our path.”
Can we trust God to change those things about us that He doesn’t like? Can we wait on the things that He has promised in His Word?
During the past 10 years, what I have learned with my loc journey is that I had to have patience and trust the process. Ecclesiastes 3:11 is true, God really does makes everything beautiful in His time. God has impeccable timing when it comes to our lives. We cannot rush Him or His process. We have to be willing to wait patiently for Him to do what needs to be done in our lives.
I’m laughing as I write this because God speaks to me according to my personality. I can hear Him saying to me; “Girl, how many times have you messed up a pound cake? You have the instructions in front of you and you won’t follow the guide that you’re “supposed” to be using. If you would take your time, stop cutting corners and follow the instructions, your cake will turn out like you expected”. So I’m like “God, why are you talking to me about my pound cakes…it really sounds like you’re talking to me about life with you?” I take the time to ponder and then I realize that He is not just talking about my cooking methods.
Can anyone else relate to this type of conversation with God? God will speak to you regardless of where you are. Whether you are in your kitchen, in your garden, on the job, in the car on your commute, or on a hair transformation journey. Purpose to keep yourself in a posture to hear from Him as He continually directs our paths.
Prayer: Dear Father, I thank you for giving me the reassurance that I can trust you with all areas of my life; even the areas that I deem to be ugly, imperfect and lacking. You said that You will make all things beautiful in its time and I know that You are not a respecter of persons. As I wait on You, I know that my strength will be renewed and I will soar like the eagle. Help me to put my focus on You during the times when I am going through the process. In Your holy name do I pray, Amen.
