Bible Verses About Marriage
God’s Purpose for Every Woman
If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. — Matthew 6:25 MSG
I discovered a lot about myself during a recent cleaning of my clothes closet. Blue stood out as my favorite color. How could I own so many blue tops? I realized that somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I hold the fantasy I am going to fit into those size 10 jeans again. One glance at the floor confirmed my husband’s past comment, “You might be a shoe-o-holic.”
Spring-cleaning my closet felt like a safari of sorts. I separated, bagged, and hauled out many worn, useless, too small, and even hardly worn items. I sat down exhausted after finishing my mission.
Then I asked myself, Why do I own so many clothes that full walk-in closet bursts at the seams? Two answers settled in my mind — God’s blessings and my own self-indulgence.
Starting today, I will attempt to put less value on my clothing and more significance on what I wear on the inside. The apostle Paul said, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14).
In addition, I will purchase my clothes with more thought. Do I need it? Will I really wear it? How often? If I buy a new item, I will remove one old item when I hang the new one in my closet. I also decided that enduring styles, not fads, will populate my wardrobe.
Now, I do love shoes, but I need to be a good steward of my money. Paul advises us on our footwear, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT). Thankfully, Paul is not inferring I shouldn’t wear stylish shoes, only that I take into consideration what their true importance is in life. I will determine a shoe budget and stick to it. If it’s not in my budget, I will resist the urge to buy… even if they are cheap and adorable.
Next year, my cleaning shouldn’t be such a tiring experience. I hope my closet will reveal that I’ve been a better steward with my money. Moreover, I hope I will look back and see that I better clothed myself with Jesus from the inside out.
Dear Lord, remind me of what is truly important in the big scheme of things. Help me to be a wise steward of my money when I shop for clothes. Each morning remind me to clothe myself with humility and love, so that others see You. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Application Steps
Glance through your closet and make notes on what it reveals about your personality and resources. Mark a date on your calendar to give your clothes closet a thorough cleaning. Then when the day arrives, sort into piles: items to keep, to donate, and to be discarded.
Copyright © Lysa TerKeurst and Rachel Olsen, published by Harvest House Publishers. Used with Permission.
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