Every day I get up and have to decide what I am going to wear. I hate that part of my day. I am not really a clothes person. I derive very little joy in shopping for new clothes. I do it because I have to and ONLY when I have to. For the most part, I wear the same things all the time…from habit.
There’s something else that I wear out of habit….my past. I wear the shame of my sins far too often. I drag it out and put it on like an old worn t-shirt. When I wear it, I feel unworthy and dirty and ashamed. Yet I keep it in the closet instead of throwing it out. Why?
Paul tells us in Galatian 3:26-27:
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Jesus put to death the sins of my past. I do not need to resurrect them and try to wear them any longer. I am clothed in Christ. When God looks at me He doesn’t see that old ratty t-shirt that is my sinful past. He sees His beloved Son! Even when I drag out those old clothes of shame and try to wear them, Jesus still covers me. I have a white robe, He promises. Why would I want to wear anything else?
I really need this reminder, Sherry. I am a little too caught up in my physical dress, and not concerned enough with how I appear to God. I love clothes and shoes and stuff way too much! I think if I paid half of the attention to how I reflect Christ that I put into what I wear I might “look” really different. My mom always told me growing up, “pretty is as pretty does.” Nearly as often she would tell me “You need to go put some lipstick on!” LOL! That makes me laugh.
I have a tendency to use shopping and clothes as a way to feel good about myself. But really what does that matter if the inside of the cup is filthy? Some soothe themselves with food, alcohol, and other indulgences…..mine is shopping.
One of the most beautiful women I have been blessed by was my grandmother June. She spent little time attending to her physical appearance. However, she filled herself with the things of God. She was a daily bible reader, and strived to present herself as pleasing before God.
Definitely something for me to consider……and apply!
THE LIST IN COLOSSIANS 3 OF WHAT WE SHOULD PUT ON INCLUDES COMPASSION, KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS. I THINK YOU WEAR THOSE THINGS WELL. YOUR FRIENDSHIP IS ONE OF THE “UN-ANTICIPATED” GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN ME IN MY 2ND CHANCE LIFE.
YOUR MOM CRACKS ME UP! BEHAVIOR AND MAKEUP BOTH VERY IMPORTANT! HEHEHE
I have major issues with clothing. If it’s not 4 sizes too big and soft then I probably don’t want to wear it. The only clothes I have truly loved in my life are my pajamas.
Once in a while something will happen that makes me think that I need to pay more attention to how I dress. I’ll get a new job and think … okay … I’m going to buy some nice clothes that fit. I will … within a month I’m slipping back into the baggy pants and big sweaters. It’s what I’m comfortable with and so I believe I will always go back.
Your point about slipping into my yucky, worn out, nasty past because it’s comfortable is all too familiar for me. I don’t know that it’s such a big deal with my real clothes if I dress nice or not … but with my past … I need to throw it out and be done with it. That is not a “comfortable” place that I need to keep going back to. I will always have it there to use to help others, but I need to cut it up to the point where it can’t be worn again.
I don’t know that I will ever truly understand why it’s so much more comfortable for me to be depressed and sad. I have had more happiness in my life the past 10 years than I would have ever thought possible. Today I have more reasons to celebrate my life than ever. God is so good to me … yet I’m not comfortable enough there to carve out a place to stay.
I catch myself sabotaging things or tearing them down in my mind to give me a reason to be unsatisfied. I “manufacture my own misery” quite often. Sometimes things are so good I have to work really hard to make myself miserable but I won’t give up until I’m there. Why?
I know that I am clothed with Christ … I want to seek a relationship with Him that is as appealing as my most comfy pj’s in that He’s what I always want to wear. I want to reach a place where I can’t imagine not wearing Him every day, all day.
He can make it so
IT IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE GIFT THAT WE ARE GIVEN. I GET TO “WEAR” JESUS AND LOOK LIKE HIM! (REALLY?? WOW!) LIKE SO MANY GIFTS FROM GOD, I DON’T TAKE THEM AND USE THEM TO THEIR FULLEST. I STILL DOUBT AND SLIP BACK TO MY FORMER WAY OF THINKING. I FORGET THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME SALVATION AND GRACE AND MERCY. I KNOW IT. I JUST DON’T KNOW IT! I BELIEVE, LORD HELP MY UNBELIEF!!
LIKE YOU, I WANT TO GROW SO MUCH IN MY WALK WITH JESUS THAT I WILL FIND THE WAY TO COMPLETELY GIVE UP THAT OLD STUFF AND SETTLE IN TO WEARING HIM. I THINK YOU DO WELL WEARING THE THINGS OF CHRIST.
Could it be that we are so possessed of the fear of minimizing our sin and guilt…and how the results of that course would reflect dishonorably upon the amazing sacrifice of our Lord…that we find it so terribly difficult to breathe in the free air of true forgiveness? I think it’s just possible the Lord understands (and maybe even appreciates) our struggle to let go our guilt and embrace the innocence we have in Jesus. It’s a journey. Hopefully, over time, we make progress. But I’ve been a Christian for 46 years, and when I am caught in a sin, I cannot just immediately go easy on myself. I don’t believe that’s how my Lord would have me react. Am I wrong about that? Doesn’t there have to be time to “process” the junk? And can anyone actually tell another how long that takes? I mean…does it take an hour? A day? A week? If we have a heart for God, we’re going to let Him deal with our sin. We are going to give it over to Him. But we are hurt by it. It gives us pain. We are disappointed in ourselves. We have to go through the whole…am-I-ever-going-to-be-over-this thing again. BUT…as we understand and grow in His grace and love, more and more we refuse to allow the devil his usual foothold in our lives by giving ourselves to overmuch sorrow, don’t you think? I’m not sure how to balance this…maybe you, Sherry, and your readers, will help me out with what I’m wanting to say.
I appreciate your thoughts…even more…your heart for God and for His people and His cause. God bless.
I NEVER WANT TO FORGET WHAT I HAVE DONE BECAUSE WHEN I REMEMBER THAT, I ALSO REMEMBER WHO SAVED ME AND HOW HE DID IT. IT ALSO KEEPS ME FROM GETTING AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE. AND I AGREE WITH YOU, I THINK JESUS UNDERSTANDS THAT. BUT THEN THERE ARE THE TIMES WHEN I LET IT CONVINCE ME THAT I SHOULD NOT EVEN TRY TO ACT LIKE I BELONG TO GOD BECAUSE I AM TOO DIRTY, TOO SINFUL, TOO COVERED IN FILTH. I DON’T THINK THAT IS WHAT JESUS WANTS OF ME. HOW DO I BALANCE THAT? I DON’T KNOW. WHEN I START TO FEEL THE YUCK, I READ THE WORDS THAT REMIND ME OF THE GRACE AND FORGIVENESS THAT ARE POURED ON ME BY THE FATHER. I REMIND MYSELF THAT JESUS’ SOLE (SOUL?) PURPOSE WAS TO GET ME BACK WITH HIM. IT IS A BATTLE I SUPPOSE I WILL FIGHT UNTIL JESUS COMES TO TAKE ME HOME. COME LORD JESUS!!