Bushy Eyebrows

While my husband drove us home from church, I sat irritated in the passenger seat. The sermon was amazing as usual – all about expecting “greatness” from God. This reminder used to encourage me; but after six years of waiting for God to publish my first book, I felt disillusioned.

I’ve been down this road many times – trekking down the Valley of Baca going from spring to spring on my journey to meet God in Zion (Psalm 84). I didn’t want God to refresh my soul again because I knew it meant another year of trekking, another year of sacrificing my nights sowing my words without a harvest, another year of believing God’s promises by His faithfulness alone. Another year…

He promised me when I was young and ignorant that I would write books for Him, but I never realized how difficult and long the journey would be. I never thought that I would beg Him to take the desire away, so I could walk away from it all. How would it feel to live free from the destiny-burden He created for me?

As I huffed in my chair, I thought of all the dreams I gave up to follow God’s bidding. Maybe I could dabble a little bit in my old dreams. I could teach a college class or two. I could write a few articles for the newspaper. I could shut out the voice of the Holy Spirit always telling me what to say and write. I could…

I flipped down the mirror on the visor and analyzed my face. Who was I and what was I doing? As I stared at myself, I noticed a stray hair on my eyebrow that I forgot to pluck. Instantly, I came out of my introspection and grabbed my purse to find tweezers.

As I looked, I felt the Holy Spirit say, “You teaching a college class is like that stray hair. It doesn’t fit the shape of your design.”

God has such a finite and unique plan for each of us, and we must carefully groom our plans to fit His purpose. There are many wonderful achievements we can pursue, but if they are not a part of God’s will for us, they become idols. The worst decision we can make is to cheat on God’s best for our lives with seemingly good things. We need to pluck out everything that doesn’t align with God’s plan, so that our purpose is plainly visible and distinct.

We don’t want undefined lives….or bushy eyebrows.

Questions: Are you ever tempted to cheat on God’s best in your life? What is your stray hair that doesn’t fit your destiny? How do you encourage yourself to stay the course?

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit” (John 15.2 NASB).

Alisa Hope Wagner

Alisa Hope Wagner gave her life to Jesus at the age of 14 in a small Baptist church in South Texas. All she wanted was to be loved, and she found that love through Jesus Christ. Alisa has never felt unloved since that day!Alisa has her BA degree in English from A & M - Corpus Christi and her MA degree in English - Applied Linguistics from the University of Houston. She served in women's ministry leadership for five years. She has a God-given passion to write, and she loves to write about what the Holy Spirit is currently teaching her.Alisa has published devotionals, articles and poetry; and she is continuously trying to reach people for Christ with her writing. She has also written her first novel and is currently seeking publication.Alisa married her high school sweetheart, and they have been married for over twelve years. They enjoy raising and homeschooling their two sons and daughter.

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