I’ve been chewing on a thought I’ve recently heard in a movie. “You have to learn to select your thoughts the same way you select your clothes”. I usually don’t grab my tidbits of inspiration from movies or books, I try and stick to absorbing life changes and behavioral changes through the word of God but wisdom seems to be flowing from one movie/book in particular to me.
Eat, Pray, Love…I can hear the collective sigh as many of you shake your head in disagreement over my movie choices, especially considering the spiritual exploration of the character Liz. Despite her erratic spiritual journey and the misdirection she embraces, her life somewhat echoes mine. She is in the midst of life changing circumstances (brought on by her own decision) that take her down a road of finding out who she is. She unlike me has the money, the time, and the liberty to travel the world as she figures out life.
There are so many thoughts and I quotes I have pulled from this story, I hate that I can relate to such brokenness and helplessness but I am coming to terms with I am a woman whose heart and trust has been broken on many levels. And I too have been an active participant in many of my life’s choices as it was running away from my control. I too have given my heart recklessly, without consideration of the implications and price I would have to pay for my carelessness. Before I go much further, I’d like to mention another word I’ve been chewing on. This one I have continuously been writing on my forearm as a reminder, I know what you’re thinking…writing on yourself? Yea, apparently I need help remembering because I can’t seem to get it right. “Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. That’s an insanely powerful Word. I’ve given my heart away with reckless abandonment and I have found to be left empty handed and broken.
Back to my original thought…selecting my thoughts the way I select my clothes. Every night, probably every single solitary night that I can remember, the very last thought in my head is “what am I going to wear tomorrow” (shallow I know) but I use this thought as a diffuser for every other one floating around in my head. If I can get my mind to focus on one thing and make a realistic decision on it I often find it helps ease me into sleep. My closet is color organized and I know specifically each article of clothing I own, where I got it, how much I paid for it and what I still need to buy to complete my wardrobe. I know what I wore last Friday and I know what I wore last Tuesday. (Maybe this is the reason I’m writing scripture on my arm. My head is filled with this useless junk)
If I began to select my thoughts the way I select my clothes and put the same consideration into what thoughts I buy into as I do the clothing, I might find that keeping my heart diligently will become a lot easier. This may seem elementary to some but its profoundly impacting me. I’ve had a wardrobe full of clothes for quantity purposes and I have found that in my haste I’ve made some poor choices that at the moment seem to have been good. I’ve purchased poorly and paid for it later.
If I can select my thoughts the way I select my clothes, today my thoughts would say “signature pieces”. I own all the staples, the fundamentals of a good wardrobe. I know all the doctrine and I’ve been practicing it for several years already. With years comes wisdom, I no longer look for quantity in clothes or experiences in life but I look for quality and I don’t mind spending a little more to get it. But one thing I find is that with “quality thinking and purchasing” the choices get tougher and the prices heftier.
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought… Every 6 months or so I clean out my closet. I get rid of the out dated and the “it doesn’t fit” clothes. But what I don’t do is get rid of the thoughts that have been lurking in my head. Thoughts that I have grown accustom to keeping around because they are comfortable and worn in. Thoughts that control me and identify me. If I don’t do that with my clothes, something so trivial why do I allow myself to do it with my thoughts, when it’s so imperative to renew our hearts and minds. Dare I say I take into consideration what I wear and how I present myself more often than the issues of my heart and mind?
I’ve recently made some dumb purchases I regret. I bought a pair of shoes from Target that when I walk they squeak and another pair of trendy shoes that I’ve worn maybe 4 times and now have no use for. Well, I’ve also made some really bad decisions, life choices that I regret too. And just like the shoes I still haven’t been able to give them up. I entertain the thoughts just like my closet holds those shoes. Which makes no sense because logically I know I only buy brand name 10 hour a day shoes and if they fall short they immediately go back to the store. And spiritually it makes no sense because what Apostolic in her right mind would entertain thoughts that go against every fundamental belief she’s believed and would put at risk the ultimate goal of heaven.
Signature pieces, my last several purchases have been very deliberate. Since I own everything why do I need to own more of the same? So I am working on investing into things that will enhance the fundamental foundation pieces I own. I’ve stopped buying any ol’ thing and I’ve stopped being allured into “it was on sale”. So if I start selecting my thoughts the way I do my clothing, I need to stop being allured into buying into the cheap thoughts I’ll regret later and strive to look for signature thoughts that will help build me into the woman I am to become…
