As I sat in the chair I thought, restoration hurts before it gets better.
As my stylist was coming to where I was seated, she asked her assistant if ‘restorer’ was already on her hair? Her assistant responded, “Yes. The restorer is on her head.” When I heard that, I responded inwardly, thank you Lord for restoration upon my head!’
My stylist then began to rub the restorer as well as the detoxifier into my scalp by doing various movements through the rubbing of her hands and balls of her fingertips. At times, it was rough as I held my head in place; then the scratching began to take place. When she finished rubbing, she asked me if my scalp felt better? I thought to myself, do I still have a scalp?
I was then placed under the steamer for a period of time before my hair would be washed and styled. As I sat in the chair, I thought restoration hurts before it gets better.
Restoration is the act of restoring or the condition of being restored: such as, bringing back to a former position or condition.
I began coming to this salon as I needed a stylist for my hair and received this reference through a member in our church. Little did I know what would be included in the journey that I was about to embark upon.
During my first visit, I learned that the stress that I had endured over the years had manifested in the thinning of my hair in certain areas. As a result of the many questions presented during the consultation, and after reflecting, I realized that the appearance I thought I was portraying was only hurting me. Isn’t that something, how that what I thought was good; really wasn’t? When I was going through trouble and acted as if everything was okay; I didn’t realize that my pride was only delaying the inevitable.
Polished Power Thought
...I didn't realize that my pride was only delaying the inevitable.
During that initial visit, I sat under the dryer crying as it seemed as if everything was unraveling as this reality was setting in as to the condition of my hair.
We had finally paid off debts and sitting in that chair felt like for a brief moment, as if I had escaped to a place of solitude and rest. When I went to pay for my service, the cost was reasonable, but it was the tools that I would need to purchase to continue the restorative process that took my breath away. I won’t say the cost but just say that I was nervous driving home. I will say that what I purchased included products for me and my three daughters. Now, looking back, I could have spaced out the purchase and bought a few things at a time but when you learn that you’ve been doing it wrong, you want to get it right! Lol! It took great courage and care to share the purchase with my husband.
It’s been about two years since I began going to this salon and it has been a process. Restoration can be automatic ,but it can also happen over a period of time, also known as “process”. My stylist told me during that initial visit that I would need to trust and follow her method in order to see the difference in my hair that I was desiring. I don’t think that I knew what I was agreeing to walk out at that time.
You see, in my mind I knew what I wanted my hair to look like and had even hearted the styles I liked on Pinterest but when you’re in process, it’s not going to look like what you want at times.
There have been many times when I was very upset with my stylist’s professional recommendation or her unwillingness to do what I wanted for the sake of doing what was best for my hair. I even tried to do what I wanted in between visits trying to get my own way only to return to the questioning, “Has anything changed in your regiment?” I couldn’t believe it! I thought, how does she know? She knew when I had been in the sun too much, if I used the wrong type of roller due to slight breakage, or an overuse of a product. As I sat in her chair, trying not to be dishonest, I didn’t disclose the full truth as I tried to answer the questions without going into too much detail. I thought I had gotten away with it but Holy Spirit convicted me for not being honest.
Polished Power Thought
Restoration can be automatic but it can also happen over a period of time, also known as "process".
Now, that’s relate this to our lives spiritually. You’ve told God what you desire but aren’t willing to follow His protocol within His word to endure the process. You want everything to happen quick and in a hurry. If you’ve been doing things for a week, month, or even a year, and are not experiencing the rate of increase or seeing the difference that you think you should, you’re ready to forfeit what you’ve been doing for a quick fix or temporary relief. Only to learn that, that very act or actions set you back and delayed you from the desired result. You find yourself like David saying, “I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” (Psalms 6:3 NLT) When your prayer should be, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” Psalms 51:12 NLT
There were three steps that took place prior to my hair being washed. The first step included the ‘restorer’ being rubbed into my hair. The purpose of the restorer is to help restore and maintain my natural curl pattern. The second step included the detoxifier being sprayed onto my scalp. The purpose for the detoxifier is to remove any natural body oil or sweat and pollutants from the air that build up on my scalp. Lastly, once both of the above were put in my hair, I was placed under a special hooded device for a steam treatment. The purpose of the steam was to open the follicles so that what was in my hair and not needed could come out and to prepare for what needed to go in so that it could be properly absorbed.
I want to liken these three steps to three important things that happen in the life of the believer. Before restoration can take place, you must totally surrender to God’s will, which is His word. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, He becomes your ‘restorer’ where He makes all things new and brings you into sonship, revealing unto you, your born-again nature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 10:9-10, Psalm 23:3) Immediately, you are brought into right relationship with Jesus Christ.
The price that Jesus paid to restore mankind looked like a defeat. But it was just a matter of time before He rose with all power in His hands and gave that same power and authority over to us. Joseph had his garment taken from him, he was thrown in a pit, but the favor of God remained upon his life despite his circumstances. He was content wherever he was and was able to endure his process because he had a dream, a word from God! You may have lost a home, but the favor wasn’t in the home or that possession…it’s upon your life! Once you allow The Restorer, Jesus Christ to work in your life, He will restore you to your original design!
Secondly, if you want to be successful in your relationship with Christ, you must detoxify your life by releasing those things from the past so that you can make room for the new. This requires the renewal of your mind by learning the new protocol and doing away with your old ways of doing things. (Ps. 139:5 (TPT) Ephesians 4:21-32) However, you must keep in mind that as you detoxify your life, you must be open to receive the new instructions for what is to be replaced. Freedom is an investment. You must do the work to keep your mind renewed so that you don’t fall back into bondage. (Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:7)
Finally, to grow in your relationship with Christ, you must make it your aim to remain in His presence. His presence is likened to the ‘steamer’. His presence exposes those areas in your life that are toxic and need to be removed; thus, making room for more of His nature to be revealed in and through you. In addition, when we remain in His presence, we find protection (Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 91) as we take our eyes off ourselves, and we put them on Him. It’s then that He begins to reveal unto us our identity – His original intent for our lives.
By remaining in His presence, you develop God consciousness, wherein it doesn’t matter where you are, He can speak to you. I recall one morning on my way into work, the doors to my building our locked and we’re buzzed in so to speak. However, that particular morning, my colleague pulled on the door and it was unlocked. I responded, “it’s open”. She said, “I’m not sure what made me pull on it.” Well, as I walked through the door, I heard the Holy Spirit say that the doors are open; you just have to “pull” “do” “obey” what I tell you to do. That broke me down as I embraced the way that God was ministering to me in that moment. We must be open to receive and acknowledge His presence on a daily basis.
So the next time you go to the hair salon, the grocery store, or even while driving in your car be open to the lessons your heavenly father desires to teach you! Remember, He’s always speaking. Restoration is upon your head!
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10 AMPC