What my gray hair is teaching me

 

‬‬ “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬ ‭CSB

As I looked in the mirror after working out this morning, I saw it. I saw the dreaded gray hair poking out from my natural hair color. I looked at my husband and said, you look good with gray hair growing in but me no way.  I think a lot of us want to hide from those dreaded signs of aging don’t we?  It’s the message the world tells keeps feeding that we can stay young and hide from signs of aging with medicine and we can look younger longer if we use these products. 

I began thinking about why does this gray hair bother me. It’s signs of days gone by and wisdom I have learned from my faith in God through some very tough days I’ve the years.  Even the book of wisdom says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”  Proverbs 16:31

Is this how God wants me to embrace my life dreading the gray hair and wrinkles? 

I don’t think so. We can all agree death is emanate for us and sadly this year death has been all over the news as well as in our communities daily. You can’t escape it it.  Death is something we probably would rather not think about in the immediate but we must if we believe God is in control of my life.  God created us from the dust and the dust we shall return to dust. (see Genesis 3:19)

If you have had an encounter with death or maybe you are staring it in the face because of a diagnosis. If so you already know we must look to the author and perfector of our faith Jesus Christ to find joy in His presence not in the decay of this world or our aging bodies that will never save us or satisfy us. We instead should look at our bodies as a living and good sacrifice to God. (Romans 12:1) 

Praising Him for another day to breathe in His grace, exhale and resting in Him. 

So with a new perspective I want to embrace those gray hairs and embrace this life God has blessed me with.  Let my praise ever be in the Lord for I know my salvation is in Him. 

“Lord, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will know how short-lived I am.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭39:4‬ ‭CSB‬‬