By Salem Afangideh
My beautiful sisters in Jesus, as we get to the end of the year, its time to receive tons of gifts and release the negative things that have happened this year as we get ready for 2013. I know lots of shopping trips and new outfits are in your future, so I hope you take sometime to focus on having a surrendered wardrobe. This is part 1 of a 2 part blog series, and it is going to be focused on what a surrendered wardrobe is. The next part will be a fun illustration of what a surrendered wintered wardrobe looks like.
Finally, dear sisters, remember that wearing the right clothes and having a surrendered wardrobe will not magically make you beautiful. You may be drop dead gorgeous on the outside, but if your inside is not being transformed by Jesus Christ, your beauty is meaningless and will only cause the wrong people to be attracted to you for the wrong reasons!
Blessings, Joy, and peace...Be watching and waiting for part 2 coming soon!
- A surrendered wardrobe realizes that its goal is not to draw attention to herself but to Jesus Christ. This should be the foundation of our fashion choices as daughters of the KING. We are called to represent Our King in everything and our fashion is no exception. I would highly recommend writing this out and putting it somewhere visible ear your wardrobe, because if your reason for wanting to be fashionable is a guy, or other friends, you will be utterly miserable.
- A surrendered wardrobe is one that lets Jesus and not people determine how she dresses. The culture today has many trends, and many popular magazines have ideas on what looks “fashionable” but do we look more to them, or more to the Holy Spirit in us to guide us when we go shopping or when we are putting outfits together?
- A surrendered wardrobe does not hoard. When we realize dear sisters, that we have been given everything we have, its easy to let go of that pretty LBD that has become too snug, its so easy to give away to others who are less fortunate, and if you have a “plato's closet” near you, you can make some money while getting rid of excess clothes. In my family, my mom has always made us give away some old clothes whenever we buy new ones. With every new outfit you buy, you have to take an outfit out of your closet and give it away. Although I didn't particularly enjoy it at first, it has been a huge blessing in helping me decide when to spend my money, and also a lesson in realizing that nothing should be too precious to give away.
- A surrendered wardrobe realizes that her clothing houses God's temple. When we realize that we are literally the dwelling place of the LORD and the way we choose to dress is the first reflection of that temple that others see, it changes everything. I remember the first time I really started studying how to bring glory to God in the way I dressed, I was shocked when I realized that God wanted me to look cute. But when we get back to the old testament and see how God wanted His temple to be adorned and decorated, we kinda get the idea that He would like to be represented in a pretty looking temple.
- A surrendered wardrobe is not inward focused. There is such a tension between being cute and making cuteness an idol. When I realized that there was freedom to be cute as a Christian, I noticed that I eventually made it an idol. I would spend a couple of hours on Saturday night trying on and putting together outfits, and then I realized that the whole point of 1 pet. 2: – required that I spent more time on my heart, and my relationship with God than I did on my wardrobe. I still enjoy shopping, still enjoy putting outfits together, and still make an effort to look cute but I spent way more time with God than I do with my mirror.
- A surrendered wardrobe is creative. Now hear me out on this one. You may feel like you are not super creative, but I strongly believe that every lady has some sense of creativity in her, no matter how small. God, the creative one lives in you so ask Him. He has created everyone with a special sense of style, so dig down deep sister...You've got the creative God in you to teach you to how to best represent Him with the right clothing choices for you
Finally, dear sisters, remember that wearing the right clothes and having a surrendered wardrobe will not magically make you beautiful. You may be drop dead gorgeous on the outside, but if your inside is not being transformed by Jesus Christ, your beauty is meaningless and will only cause the wrong people to be attracted to you for the wrong reasons!
Blessings, Joy, and peace...Be watching and waiting for part 2 coming soon!