By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

My 3-year-old girl has dark curly hair. Although the hair is beautiful when combed out, any parent with a toddler with curly hair will understand that getting there is usually a process! Last night, just after her hair was washed, ready to be combed out, the power went off. Load shedding. Now, how do you comb tangles out of hair in the dark?

After spraying on every possible detangling product on my daughter's hair, I used my cellphone's torch to try and get the tangles out. I eventually gave up. My daughter just fell asleep with damp hair (still filled with tangles), when the lights suddenly went on again. 

This incident reminded me of the dark seasons in our lives. It is usually filled with frustrations - almost like the "tangles" in my child's hair. It can come in the form of frustrations at work, in the family, with your health, finances or even dreams that do not become a reality as soon as we would have liked. 

Our response during these times shows what is going on in our hearts. Do we get anxious withmaking our own plans – almost like using the cellphone torch and detangling products – or do we turn to the One who is Light, the One who knows the end from the beginning and the One who promises to fill us with wisdom when we need it?

In 1 John 1:5 we read, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." In Psalm 127:1 we are reminded to acknowledge Him in all parts of our lives: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain." And in Zechariah 4: 6 we read, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Do you currently experience frustration in your life? Let's put the cellphone light down and return to God, our Source of Light. Let's ask Him to help and protect us. And let us remind ourselves that it is not by our power, but by God's Holy Spirit that we gain victory. In no time, our hair might be tangle free and blow in the wind. 

Father God, thank you so much for letting meput any frustration in your hands. Please guide me through your Holy Spirit and fill me with wisdom. I don't want to build anything without You. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

• See photo of my daughter's hair (without tangles) at the Stories van Hoop page on Facebook or www.benescke.co.za

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