Recently I had an intriguing conversation with a friend, who was struggling. She told me that she was afraid she was becoming verbally abusive towards her child. She shared that she had been verbally abused as a child, too. I asked further into the situation and gleaned that she was not following the footsteps that had been her experience. But she was allowing certain words to rule and reign in her heart. For her, it was ill-fitting clothing, not suited for her beautiful heart for her family and her root desire to be a godly mother and wife–for she is seeking God with all of her heart.
How many of us are wearing ill-fitting clothing (like Saul’s armor on David that just didn’t suit for his battle with the giant) —the words of others, which have scarred our souls… the words we say to ourselves… the whispers of a very real and unrelenting enemy?
Perhaps we need to practice a new way of being clothed. When we begin to hear certain words in our hearts and minds, and they begin to rule the way we act, a cycle of defeat is sure to come and reign. Rather we need to ask ourselves, is this the clothing we should put on? Do we agree to wearing it?
It is the ultimate in what-not-to-wear.
On a similar note, I have been going to the YMCA again. We have joined three years in a row, and cancelled three years in a row. It is like a giant wall our family keeps hitting, but with our God, we can scale a wall! The guilt for me personally is overwhelming. I feel guilty paying and not utilizing the service. I feel guilty that nearly eight years after the birth of our last child, I am still carrying around pounds. I feel guilty for so much! Then I feel anxious and stressed, wringing my hands over so many things that are not controllable. Oh and then there is the shame. Ah, the shame.
Satan knows the clothing that I will most readily let him put on me. He knows what works. Truthfully? He’s not very creative either. Same song, second verse. He begins on a daily basis trying to undermine my good intentions. I know this. I live it. I am beginning to recognize it. I am beginning to set my face like flint and battle it back with the disarming Word of God. I am winning!
Let me be clear here, though. This is not about weight loss or overcoming family strongholds, though those are both beneficial and good. This is about yielding to the Truth. This is about the clothing we wear.
Ultimately, this is about the core of our belief system from which we operate on a daily basis–be it lies we rehearse, unforgiveness we hold fast to, bitterness that is deeply rooted, complacently that has us bound, cynicism that keeps us angry or a thousand other responses we have from the clothing we wear.
God is training me and you for Truth. And GOD is FOR us. He is FOR me. He is FOR you! What does He tell us to be clothed in?
Salvation: 2 Chronicles 6:41, Isaiah 61:10
Praise (Garment of Praise): Isaiah 61:3
Righteousness: Job 29:14, Psalm 132:9
Power: Luke 24:49
Humility: 1 Peter 5:5
Love, Peace, His Word, Thanks, Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Meekness and Patience: Colossians 3:12-17
In all of this clothing, Christ Himself will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
Christ ALONE creates kind of couture we ALL need–He is the ULTIMATE designer.
The Bible says that once we believe on Christ, it has ALREADY HAPPENED. The transformation has already taken place. We must renew our minds with the truth of who we already are (based on the footnote from the ESV p. 2298). We must choose to put on His clothing every day.
Put it on. Keep it on. Battle back with His Word. Run this race like it really matters. Because it really DOES matter. It matters what we believe. It matters what we are clothed in. It matters–the place from which we operate. Take time today and consider the clothing you wear on a daily basis–name the battles (the lies) and then begin to equip yourself with His Word (the TRUTH). Throw off what hinders and run this race with me. His clothing of perseverance is just what we need. His clothing of kindness is what we should put on others, too. We have it in our ability to do just that (Matthew 25:35-40).
- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
