Spring Cleaning

 

I recently did some spring cleaning, and part of that was to clean out my closet.  It was time.  My wardrobe was overflowing with a mixture of old and new.  I had been given several bags of items from a good friend, some even with the tags still on them, Rather than replace the old items, I had just added them to my closet.  Every morning I’d open my closet, overwhelmed by the number of items I had to choose from, so rather than thumb through them to find something I really liked or would even want to try since I had yet to wear it, I often chose those old, faithful items that I knew were comfortable and would work for the day. Some items were my tried and true.  They were simply…me.

The Bible tells us in Ezekiel that the Lord gives us a new heart, and a new spirit He will put in us, His Holy Spirit.  And, in 1 Corinthians it says that we have the mind of Christ.  These are gifts to us from the Lord, newness of life and spirit.  The Lord knew that we could never live righteously on our own, so not only did he take our punishment but then He also gave us everything we need to live differently, to walk before Him blameless, and before each other in love.

But just like my closet, how often do we return to the old because its comfortable, familiar, and seems to fit just right?  What are some of these old items?  They are judgment, criticism, gossip, anger, sadness, depression, anxiety, worry, fear, insecurity, intimidation, apathy, and even more. There’s comfort in these things because they are what we know, and unfortunately, they bring us a false sense of security.  So those new items, the ones that bring us true freedom and security, are left hanging in our closet, there and available to us, but we never experience the joy of putting them on and finding everything good that God has given to us.    

These gifts from God should be boldly worn and displayed on us for the world, for our families, for our loved ones, and for our friends to see.  And like a new outfit that when worn for the first time piques the curiosity drawing questions such as, “Where did you get that,” or “Was it expensive,” we open the door to talk about our Lord and Savior and answer with, “It came from Jesus, and yes, it was expensive, but it cost me nothing. It cost Him everything.”

Rarely is there comfort in something brand new.  It has to be worn and tested several times before we understand the feel of it or know what to wear with it.  But there will never be comfort in something that remains in the closet or drawer with the tags still on, brand new, and never seeing the light of day.

Be brave, be bold, and take these gifts from God and try them on.  Wear them out for all to see.  Learn how they fit, and how to wear them.  There is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in each of our wardrobes that should be worn until they become like the old sweater you pull out every evening to relax and just be comfortable.  To be…you.  The new you.  The one that has been given new life in Christ.  The one that lives knowing you are loved, you have purpose, and you are never alone. 

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

1 Corinthians 2:16 – But we have the mind of Christ

Galatians 5:22-23 –  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.