Ever since I was 18 I have grown unusually thick facial hair. I have to shave daily if I want to remain clean-shaven as I have practically a full beard in less than a week. With this, I have experimented in many ways on how to shave better. I really wanted to not have to shave every single day and searched for any way I could stay clean shaven for more than a day before I had to go back to the bathroom sink for another shave. Finally, I discovered a method that shaved my facial hair closer than any other method and left me clean shaven for several days- shaving against the grain.
Although shaving against the natural direction that my facial hair grows is slightly painful, itchy, and sometimes draws blood, the reward was worth it. It shaved so close that it felt like it was taking a layer of skin cells along with it or something. Having a job that requires a clean daily shave made this method of shaving a handy tool for keeping life simple. And after a while, I got used to shaving against the grain and it became less and less painful and itchy. This is how my walk with God has been, and I believe most Christians as well.
The natural direction of growth for us in this life is to go with the direction of the world. Not only are we born into a fallen world with every possible sin and temptation right under our noses, but we have our own fallen nature to conquer also. The ”grain” for us humans grows in a self-seeking, prideful way. This is ”the way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death[Proverbs 14.12]” because it is second-nature without a revelation of being obedient to God. The problem with this is it leads to a selfishly lived life and results in a hardened heart to the love of God. This hardened heart towards Gods love leads to spiritual death. Everybody longs for Gods love, they just don’t know that that’s what it is because they think the Bible is simply a fairy tale like santa clause or the easter bunny. They don’t think God is actually real, but they also know in their heart that something big is missing in their souls. This ”something” is God.
When someone begins walking in close relation to God through Christ, they experience exactly what I experienced with shaving against the grain- a lot of discomfort and drawing blood. It often left my skin feeling like it was on fire and bleeding continuously because it shaved so close to the skin. This irritation when growing in Christ comes in the form of being ridiculed by friends and family, people turning on you, and many other forms of seemingly injustice and emotional pain. Some people are lied about at work to get them fired. Others are abandoned by friends and family, and some are randomly cursed and yelled at in public by strangers, while some hardly experience any of this. My grandfather was telling my family that I was ”mentally sick” because I was talking about Jesus, and he really believed I was delusional.
Whatever the case may be, this is all part of the ”refining process” that God allows to happen in order to bring us into His kingdom. Paul said ”Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you [1 Peter 4.12].” These things are not strange because you are shaving against the grain of this world, and at first you are going to get cut- but take heart, because once you get good at it, you rarely draw blood and it no longer hurts, just like with the shaving thing. After a while, my skin got used to it and I was able to shave like that regularly without any irritation. This is called building our faith and our identity as sons and daughters of the most high God.
When we first start walking with Christ, our hearts are weak and we get hurt and offended by the coldness of the world sometimes. When someone tempts us or tries to abuse us in some way, we often give in to our pride and emotions. This is satan trying to ”sift” you and see what you are made of, if you are going to give up on God or not. This is where God is calling you to strengthen your heart and to not let anyone’s sin against you to produce sin within you… do NOT give up. This life is all about the love of God and when someone is acting out against you, it is because you are starting to act according to the Word of God which is ”alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart [Hebrews 4.12]” and that person is feeling convicted. Let them feel convicted because God is GOOD.
Not only are we shaving against the natural direction of growth in this world, but we are battling our own self also. Jesus said you must ”deny yourself,” not deny the world. Once we see that we are our own enemy, we are starting to mature and we start to grow closer to God because we see how much we need Him. When Jesus told Peter to walk on water, the second Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. This is how much we need God, because we were designed from the time of Adam and Eve to be in full relation to God 100 percent of the time. Anything less and we will begin to sink. The only thing God is asking you to do is give up what you weren’t even created to be. The natural grain of this world is NOT what it was created to be.
Lessons Learned 