We weren't even having a formal Bible study.
Just me and my son, talking the way you do when someone you love is back in the house and the walls are down and real conversation just happens.
We were talking about Samson.
And somewhere in the middle of that conversation I got very, very quiet.
Because I heard it.
Samson lost his strength because he laid down with the wrong thing. Now, I was not doing what Samson was doing. But I was young. And I was doing things I knew in my spirit I should not have been doing. Making choices that the woman I was called to be would not have made.
And those choices had weight.
Then Samson's hair was cut. He was captured. His eyes were gouged out. He was bound and put to work grinding in a prison.
Being a young single mother in survival mode did that to me.
Not maliciously. But really.
I had no sight. I could not see past the next crisis. The gifts God placed in me to create, communicate, connect, build; were still there. They just could not move freely inside a life built entirely around survival.
But then the Bible says something that wrecked me:
"But before long, his hair began to grow back."
Judges 16:22.
In the dark. In the prison. While the enemy was celebrating.
It was growing back.
And so was mine. 🦋
💬 Comment "GROWING BACK" if God has been restoring something in you that the enemy thought was gone for good.
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Samson’s story is often remembered simply as a tale of extraordinary strength and tragic downfall. Yet, when we dive deeper, the narrative unfolds layers about losing yourself and rediscovering your God-given purpose, especially through trials and hardships. As someone who has lived through seasons of survival mode, I can personally relate to the feeling of being trapped – grinded down by circumstances and unable to see beyond the immediate struggle, much like Samson’s captivity and blindness. The image of Samson’s hair growing back in the darkest moments is a profound symbol of hope and renewal. It reminds me that even when we feel bound by the consequences of past choices or circumstances, restoration is possible. Faith plays a crucial role in this process; it calls us not to ignore our mistakes but to trust that God is working beneath the surface during our most vulnerable times. This resonates deeply with anyone who has felt that their gifts or identity have been deferred or diminished, such as young single mothers juggling survival and faith, or anyone recovering from life’s setbacks. In my own experience, embracing vulnerability and honest conversations—as the author shares with her son—helped me break down walls and access the gifts I thought were lost. Samson’s story is a testament that restoration is often gradual and invisible at first, happening quietly even while adversity seems to reign. This gives encouragement to keep moving forward, knowing that God can restore what the enemy has taken, renew our strength, and realign us with our true purpose. The lessons from Judges 16 challenge us to not only seek strength but to guard our hearts and choices because those determine the state of our lives. Yet, the promise is clear: no matter how far we’ve fallen, the restoration journey is real and accessible. "Growing back" is not just about physical renewal, but about reclaiming faith, identity, and the ability to create, connect, and build again. Sharing these reflections encourages others to embrace their own restoration journeys and to find hope amidst hardship.