Take-Down

Hey guysss 🥹 I hope you’ve been well. Since May, I’ve had a beautiful three months of rest. Although beautiful, every part of it was not easy. Resting in the Lord isn’t just physical, it’s learning to trust Him with what’s happening (and trust what He’s doing in the midst of it) without needing to maintain or fix anything. And side note: He actually gave me the title “Take-Down” in May, right after I finished writing the last blog post. The funny thing is, He didn’t give me anything regarding what the title meant… until now. Crazy right? (and so on brand 🤭) But we know God’s timing is perfect and sometimes the message comes after you walk it out. So here we are 😄

When God is preparing our hearts for what’s next, even if we have no idea what “next” is, He will take down certain parts of our lives. Similar to the way we take down hairstyles. Hair take-downs involve removing styles, with or without extensions, to prepare for the next style. And when it’s time to take a style out, we just know. Maybe the style is worn out, maybe you need a new style for an event or an occasion, or maybe it’s just time for a good wash. You tracking so far? Okay good, let’s keep going.

During the Take-Down

When we take down our hair (or have someone else do it), we typically slow down & take our time with the knots in our hair. In the process, it’s also very natural to shed dead hair. Then there’s some washing, conditioning, detangling, moisturizing, letting your scalp breathe, etc. And not to mention it can feel very bare to be without any distinct, structured, signature, or cohesive style in the moment. But one key note about the take-down process is, it’s best not to rush. Why? Because if you rush, you’ll likely end up with more damage and bypass the purpose of the process.

This is what resting in God during refinement looks like. God may be unraveling old mindsets, letting dead things fall away, and revealing tangles of pain, pride, or unforgiveness. He may allow you to feel exposed for a moment while also deep cleaning your heart, and nourishing your soul with His word and His presence. It’s God preparing you for a new identity, a new season, or a new calling. And when He says to rest in Him, He wants us to let Him do the work, trust the process, and allow our soul to breathe. In other words— pause, release, and be renewed.

After the Take-Down

So what happens when the take-down is complete? After we’ve gone through the process, we not only show up for our next appointment, but we show up clean, bare, and ready for what’s new and healthy. In the same way, God will move us into our next phase refreshed, and with greater clarity and alignment.

• Refreshed, so we can carry what’s next with grace and grounded strength

• Clarity, so we can hear God’s voice & follow His direction

• Alignment, so we move in rhythm with Him instead of striving ahead or dragging behind

And once you get used to this process, rest (proper take-down) becomes part of your rhythm too. Because it’s His intentional care that teaches us to live intentionally with Him.

Making Room For The Take-Down

God’s doing all the heavy lifting but we still have a part to play. When it’s time for a take-down, especially when a stylist is doing it, we usually do a few things. We make an appointment, meaning we acknowledge that it’s time and make space for it. We come “as-is”— not trying to dress it up, just ready for the old style to be taken out. We take our hands off of our own heads and we let the stylist work strand by strand. We’re patient through the process, knowing it’ll take time, and we trust the skill & intention of said stylist.

Spiritually, this looks like:

• Showing up honest and undone (not pretending you’re fine)

• Surrendering your desired outcome and/or your desire to understand every detail of the “why”

• Surrendering your timeline and being patient with your refinement (give yourself time to process)

Practically, this looks like:

• Stopping all the “rippin and runnin” (😂) long enough to actually sit with our feelings and get to the root

• Putting our phones down a little more

• Asking God what are you trying to remove?

• Journaling about what feels heavy instead of just pushing past it

• Letting go of your need for ALL the answers before taking the next step

• Setting boundaries when appropriate, even if it means being misunderstood

• Asking God what are you making room for?

These are the quiet acts of surrender that make room for refinement and prepare us for renewal. Even Jesus made room, so we can too. Here are some scriptures to ground us during the take-down seasons of life:

• Luke 5:16 (Rest was part of Jesus’ rhythm)

• Psalm 46:10 (Stillness = active trust)

• Ecclesiastes 3:1 (God ordains rhythms)

• Isaiah 30:15 (Rest is strength)

• John 15:2 (Refinement = proof of God’s love)

• Matthew 11:28-30 (His rest is sustaining)

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