Embracing Change: A Lesson from My Closet

When I came around the corner and saw things strewn across the floor, my first thought was, "Oh no, what did the dogs get into?" However, as I got closer, it became clear that something bigger had happened. Surveying the damage, I realized that all the shelving in our closet had fallen off the wall! How crazy is that?

In the past, this would have greatly bothered me. However, I’ve recently been through a season where God has been working in my life, cultivating a new nature and helping me dwell in His peace, which surpasses all understanding.

So, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "Well, let’s go eat lunch. It’s not going anywhere." In years past, I couldn’t have said that. I wouldn’t have been so relaxed. But God wasn’t surprised by this mess or its timing. Resting in Him, I thought, "Okay, now I might as well go through my closet and purge like never before."

The purging wasn’t something I could do quickly—it was time-consuming. As I sorted through my clothes, I assessed why I needed to hang on to certain things and what made it difficult to let go. One thing that helped was knowing I could pass something on to someone else who would love it.

However, I still struggled. One day, as I sat with God and brought up the purging again, I realized that God had always met my needs. Never once did I have to go somewhere without clothes. He always provided for me. Matthew 6:25-34 reminds us that we don’t need to hoard things "just in case." God will meet our needs when we need it. He will not abandon us or leave us without what we need.

This purging came after I had spoken about our old nature and our new nature, as laid out in Colossians 3:1-17. This passage always makes me think of clothing and a wardrobe—how we need to get rid of the old and put on the new, the clothing that God provides.

This is a daily step we need to take by spending time in God’s word to remember who we are and who He is. Romans 8:12-13 reminds us that we have no obligation to do what our sinful nature urges us to do. We have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, which enables us to step into our new nature. It’s not all about effort. It involves obedience but also walking in the truth of who we are in Christ Jesus.

When we look closely at Colossians 3:1-17, it’s amazing to see the old nature and new nature side by side. When I see them next to each other, I can easily see that I don’t want to live with the old nature having a hold on me. The new nature brings life, and I can live that way through the power of the Holy Spirit. However, like my wardrobe, it’s easy to forget and slip back into comfortable old habits.

So, as a daily reminder of what God has for you to wear, we’ve created a reminder sheet for you to download and put up in your closet. Let’s embrace our new nature and walk in the life that God has for us.

Praying for you

Kim

Click the Download button for your Old Nature vs New Nature card to post in your closet: