By Robin Wiley
I have a cowlick on the left side of my forehead, which has gotten wilder over the past few years. It all started when I had to get my head shaved after sustaining a bad injury from a car accident in 2005. My scalp was tore up pretty bad, and I bare the scars still, and it motivates me to part my hair on the right side with sweeping bangs. The cowlick is annoyingly unruly and difficult to control. In fact, my hairstylists kindly explained to me that the growth patterns, which create cowlicks, tend to get stronger as we get older. Really? As if I do not have enough health issues to deal with already in this season of life must the universe throw something like cowlicks at me? LOL.
Over the few years, I’ve noticed that my hair has become increasingly unruly. It doesn’t stay in place or lie down straight anymore. It wings out unnaturally in different ways where the cowlick is on my head. It’s like having one bad hair day after another. Bottom line, my hair is misbehaving.
You’re probably wondering what does cowlicks and hair have to do with Jesus? In a small way, it reminds me that I am not always in control. And if you know me, I thrive on being in control. Organization and plans makes me happy. I like my days to go as I will them to, and things to be placed where they belong. Up until recently, that included the strands of my hair.
Sadly, cowlicks don’t bend to my will. No matter how much I fight it, I cannot get rid of it. So living with it, has taught me patience, a fruit of the spirit I have been working on sharpening. I sorely lack in patience, and I see how valuable of a gift it is to offer to others if one possesses it. Patience is rewarding. It forces you to slow down and smell the roses. After all, we are only here for a short visit.
Every time I blow dry my hair I thank God for the patience He is developing in me with every stroke of hair near the cowlick. Life is messy and chaotic and when it throws you a curve ball – you can either run from it or embrace it. So with each change or challenge that comes my way, I will be practicing my patience skills, waiting on the Lord because I know he will not leave me or forsake me (Deut 31:9).
This cowlick has taught me that we are not in control, and that sometimes it’s okay to get out of the way. Let God be God and do his good work here and in ourselves.
I’ll just add there are numerous ways to manage the cowlick situation – but one that seems to work well with me now is to just embrace the mess!
Prayer:
Thank you for loving me, and thank you for cowlicks! Who would have thought a lesson could be learned through unruly hair? Help me to find ways to be more patient with myself and with others. Let me be more like you Jesus. In your name –Amen!