I admit it! I have some clothes that just do not fit!

Mostly, they are too tight!  I have kept them in my closet even though they haven’t fit for years.  Yes, friends. These are my “skinny clothes” and really are out of style.  These few favorite pieces of mine are from a time when I was much smaller than I am now. This was a time when I got down to my “goal weight” with Weight Watchers.  I even worked for them!  BUT, in order to maintain my “lifetime” status, I had to eat very little and exercise a whole lot!  I was hungry and got tired of eating the foods from my “zero point” list.  I had to exercise more and more to earn points to eat and was terrified of missing a workout.  I was also terrified of gaining weight.

This was not living in freedom!

So why am I holding on to these clothes that were from a time in my life when I was completely entrenched in diet living? Isn’t it really diet mentality that tells me to hold on to these clothes “just in case” I may ever be that size again?  You know.  When I find that perfect “diet”?

WAIT!  I’m DONE WITH DIETING! 

It’s time to give those clothes away!

SPIRITUAL OBJECT LESSON

When I think about getting rid of clothes that hold me back to that diet mentality, I am reminded  of something that was in the sermon at church on Sunday.

In Colossians 3 and Ephesians 4 we are told that we are supposed to put off the old self or “clothes” and be clothed with the “new self” or a new attitude.

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God…….So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry……  You also lived your lives in this way at one time……But now, put off these old clothes…..Put off the old clothes with its practices.  You have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the One who created it. (Colossians 3:1-3,5-8a,10 NET bible)

 

Everyday we are called by God to put off or take off the old clothes and to put on the clothes of our new life. So we take off those old, soiled, smelly clothes of our old self  (for us in this setting, it may be taking off the diet mentality, beating ourselves up, not loving our bodies, perfectionism, etc. or overeating ) and get rid of them.  But something happens overnight.  When we wake up the next morning, and hanging on the closet door in plain view of our eyes are our old clothes!  Only now they look bright, clean and oh so alluring!  They are comfortable.  They are what we like or are used to.  They call to us. They whisper our name. BUT, they drag us down and away from the wonderful and FREE life in Christ. AND, guess what?  They lie to us, for now that we have learned a new way to live in Christ, these old clothes REALLY DO NOT FIT US ANY MORE!

God has another plan for us.  He has a new set of clothes that is our new self.  We may need help putting on these clothes and NOT changing back into the old clothes.  That is why we have the Holy Spirit to help us.  He will help us with this new way of living.  This new way is peace and life and FREEDOM.

So, now back to those clothes in my closet that don’t fit.

I am GETTING RID OF THEM!

No need to have clothes that not only don’t fit, but also keep me longing for an impossible body shape and size.

So, why go back to our old ways, our old life, our old sin?

Lets take off these old, smelly clothes!

They really don’t fit us anymore, despite how comfy they may seem!

Let’s put on our NEW CLOTHES and walk in the way that leads to LIFE!