“Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:24 NLT

Rat’s Nest

When my sister and I were little, our mother brushed out our long hair every morning. Once in a while, she would come upon a tangled mess of hair that she could not get the brush through. She would try to be as gentle as possible, but much of the time we would pull away and make it more difficult for her and more painful for us. She would just have to comb it out as we screamed in pain.

She called our tangled hair a “rat’s nest.” I came upon a “rat’s nest” in my hair today. Memories of my mom as she pulled out our hair by the handful (so it felt to my sister and me) came flooding back. As hard as she tried to pull gently, sometimes the “rat” was stubborn and just wanted to nest. When she finally combed it out, she would show us that nasty looking bunch of tangled hair. We were very glad it was gone and over, but one restless night in bed and we could wake up to the same rat’s nest nightmare!

I began to think about when God works to remove a “rat’s nest” far from me, but sometimes I pull away. As I struggle against His gentle efforts, I make it more painful for myself. My attempts to pull away prolong the ordeal. As a dog returns to its vomit, I will sometimes learn the hard way by going back into that tangled rat’s nest mess.

Why would I take Satan’s bait and fall back into that trap of offense? Hurt feelings or offense can draw me into that trap quicker than you can say “Jack Robinson!” As I pull away again, I may even scream in pain rather than allow the kind hand of my heavenly Father to pull the tangled mess of offense out of my life. Being hurt or offended is a sign of pride. Please, Lord—purify my heart so my thoughts and words will be pure, keeping no record of wrongs and always believing the best.

“Search me, Lord, and know my thoughts. If there is any way in me that displeases You, please pull it out, roots and all, no matter the pain or the cost to me, or how much I scream. Lead me in Your ways; teach me to walk in Your Spirit. I lay down my plans and my will in exchange for what You have planned for me, in order that Your will would be accomplished in and through my life.”