Cleaning out the closet
Melanie - October 18, 2010
On Sunday, in a fit of productivity, I decided it was time to tackle my closet and try to give it some sense of order and organization. Perhaps I could even color code everything even though it will only stay that way for about two days before all the black is mixed back in with the white and the gray.
Because those are really the only three colors I have in my closet. Apparently I am a fan of the monotone.
As I began to go through everything, I found a few nice dress shirts that I used to wear back in the days of my life as an official corporate professional-type. I also found some charcoal gray pencil skirts and a pair of black gaucho pants that needed to be put out of their misery.
I'd always hesitated to throw all that stuff out before because there was always some small part of me that felt like I might need it again. What if this whole stay at home phase of life is short-lived? What if I have to go back to that old life? Part of me found security in hanging on to those old things.
But, on Sunday, I finally let go of all that old stuff. I began to throw it into a big pile of things to donate to charity because, after three years, I've finally realized I don't need it anymore. It's part of my old life and there isn't a place for it anymore.
As I watched that pile grow, I felt the Lord speak to my heart and say, "What if you quit being afraid of throwing out all that old stuff? What if you just let it go and realized it belongs to someone you used to be?"
And I began to cry right there in my bathroom because I had a clear picture of all the stuff I hang on to. The fear, the insecurity, the guilt. I don't know why I keep it around, but I think it's because so much of it is so familiar.
But just like those old Banana Republic dress shirts, it doesn't have a place in my life now. It's not part of who I am anymore. I am called to let it go and realize that I have been redeemed. His grace is bigger than my sin.
He wants to clothe me in his grace and mercy. And there's not room for my old stuff from my old life anymore.
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris
Comments (11)
These thoughts have so blessed my heart….our closet recently collapsed and needed repaired, so it got cleaned out and I have so struggled with getting rid of the old stuff…thanks.
Posted on October 19, 2010 9:10 AM
Melanie, this is beautiful and a great reminder to me today. thank you! love, rachel
Posted on October 19, 2010 9:31 AM
Amen girl! AMEN! Thanks for this post… so needed it this morning!
Posted on October 19, 2010 9:42 AM
I sat down and read this not 5 minutes after I literally HUGGED a pair of shorts that needed to be thrown away.
Why is it we hold on to rags when He’s promised to clothe us in radiant splendor?
Posted on October 19, 2010 9:54 AM
Beautiful post.
Posted on October 19, 2010 10:02 AM
Preachin to me!!! Thank you Melanie.
I want freedom!
Posted on October 19, 2010 10:48 AM
It is so funny that I stumbled upon this blog. Yesterday, Sunday Oct. 18th I was doing the EXACT same thing you were doing with your closet. I was getting rid of old and replacing with some new, and some of my fall things. I made a huge pile to get rid of, and funny thing is I looked at that stuff and remembered who i USED to be when I wore some of it. I am currently doing “The Frazzled Female” at my moms church, and just the first week has been amazing. Thank you for sharing this blog!!
Posted on October 19, 2010 1:02 PM
Melanie this so spoke to my heart- sometimes the smallest steps of faith require the largest amount of courage.
Posted on October 19, 2010 11:05 PM
I just did a clean out too! I had been hanging on for dear life….and it was stifling! What a profound assessment of how we cling to stuff that is meaningless yet miss out on all that is new!
Posted on October 21, 2010 10:26 AM
Well, that was just beautiful. Spoke to my heart. Thank you.
Posted on October 21, 2010 10:39 AM
Needing to clean out and let go, too. Maybe not so much in my closet as in my heart…
Posted on October 23, 2010 3:17 PM