Reason #783
I cut my hair a few weeks ago, and I’m glad I did. Of course, I am certainly missing the option of having a pony tail in the mornings, but that’s about it. I tried really hard to grow my hair out for about two or so years, and many times I came to the conclusion that it just wasn’t me. For some reason, though, I couldn’t make the decision to chop it off. Finally, I decided that it was time, and I am glad I found the courage to make that decision. The funny thing is that each time I run into a friend who has known me for years, they smile and are quick to say, “The old Brittnye is back.”
Sometimes you just don’t want to be yourself. It seems like life would be easier if you were someone else. The thing is, you don’t really have that option. You can pretend, and you can wish, but at the end of the day, you are you. And so maybe you try to conceal yourself. You try to cover yourself up with really nice clothes, perfectly combed hair, drastic make-up, Spanx, and sparkly jewelry so that no one will notice. You live this life that’s really not you because, if you were you, you’re afraid you wouldn’t fit it. You wouldn’t be accepted or wanted if you were really you. People might think bad things about you, they might not like you, they might not include you, and so you pretend to be someone else because it seems like it’s easier than being yourself.
Aaron lets me be myself, and one of the things I appreciate about him is that he doesn’t try and dictate who I will be. He doesn’t tell me how I will look or how to behave. He accepts me for who I am, even though I have a hard time of doing that sometimes. Because of this, Aaron has helped me understand who I am. He has helped peel back the layers of who I am not and bring forth the true me. The me that I tried to cover up because I was ashamed. The me that I was embarrassed about. The me that felt broken and tainted. The me I didn’t want to be.
The Lord defines who we are: chosen, treasured, holy, righteous, forgiven, beautiful, dearly loved, redeemed, restored, and worthy. But sometimes we get lost in the mess of life and we can’t see that about ourselves. God is faithful to surround us with people who see the true us because they’re looking at us through His eyes. People who are proud of us, love us, accept us, see the good, and bring those things out in us. People who help restore us to what we once were, only restore us to an even better version.
I ran into a friend from college last weekend. I hadn’t seen him in a long time, and he instantly noticed my hair. In fact, he said, “It’s SPC hair.” But he noticed something else, and he said, “You look really happy.” I told him I was and that it was good to be happy again. It’s true. It is. It’s good to be restored, and I praise God for doing just that. For bring me back to the old me, really, the new and improved/old me. It’s a good place to be!
#783 - Because He restores our happiness.
"Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved." - Psalm 80:3