A story was told about a little girl who called her mother in to the bathroom one evening.  She was crying as she told her mother that she needed her help.  Apparently she got a small knot in her long, beautiful hair about a week previously and she couldn’t get it out.  Not wanting to bother her mother with such a small thing, she let it go and now, about a week later, her hair was in such a tangled mess that she didn’t know what to do!

We do that, too.  And I am the guiltiest of all.  Something happens and I feel like I can handle it by myself – no need to bother my Father with it.  And as I keep trying to handle it myself, it gets larger and larger and more and more tangled.  Why, oh why don’t I learn to go immediately to my father who loves me and can get the little knot out before it becomes a huge monstrosity.  Shoot, I don’t want my knot cut out, that would leave me looking beyond silly with a big hole straight into my scalp. And I don’t want it brushed out because that would bring pain and tears and lots and lots of time.

1 Peter 5:6-7

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

I especially love the part about humbling yourself.  You see, it’s pride that keeps me thinking I can handle this tangle on my own.  And it’s poor vision that keeps me from seeing just how big the tangle is to begin with and how big it can eventually become.

How can I correct both of those things?  By pressing into Jesus!  By filling my mind with His Word so my mind can be transformed.  And if it gets out of hand and becomes the biggest tangle ever, but humbling myself before my Daddy and asking Him first of all for forgiveness, and then His divine help to get through and solve my tangled web I wove.

As for the girl in the story, she knew it was a huge mess – way more than she could handle alone.  So as tears streamed down her face, her mother combed out that huge tangle, strand by strand. And when it was finished, that mother wrapped her arms around her daughter and gave her support and comfort.

After all, isn’t that what we long for our Heavenly Father to do for us?  Comfort and hug us after the pain and tears of untangling our mess is over?  I know it’s what I want!