Ill-fitting
Occasionally when I am sorting all one billion pieces of clothing that I wash for my kids, I will mistakenly place a piece of clothing in the wrong basket. One of the things my children have not yet mastered is ensuring they are putting away THEIR clothes in their drawers and not something that belongs to one of their siblings. My son, Asher, is probably the biggest culprit when it comes to this. One night when they put on their pajamas and got ready for bed I noticed Asher's "shorts" didn't look like they fit right and I wondered when I bought him bike shorts. So, I called him over and checked the tag, sure enough he was wearing his sisters leggings. I was curious as to how he squeezed himself into those and why he didn't look at the tag when they were that tight. Frequently I have to say, "Asher put on clothes that fit you please. I need you to check the tag before you put them on."
As humorous as that is, we can be equally guilty of doing this. Often times, we will not look at what season we are in and we will try to shove ourselves into something that we have out grown OR we try to wear something that isn't even ours to wear. Have you ever been around a friend and you just didn't quite fit together the way you once did? Maybe you have both taken different paths in life and when you spend time together it feels forced and un natural. Some friendships are seasonal and we can force ourselves into maintaining something that we have outgrown. We can hear God tell us that it's time for change and for our focus to shift because He has given us a new assignment, but we can decide to put on the old assignment that no longer fits.
When we do this we are preventing ourselves from growing into who God is molding us to be. We are ever changing and transforming. As we allow God to interrupt our lives we with HIS plan we will begin a never ending process of growth. My son who is now 13 hasn't stopped growing for the past year. Like, I can't buy him pants because they will fit for a week then they become capris. I am constantly buying him clothes because he has outgrown his. Why do we look at our lives any different?
"Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete." (Colossians 3:9,10 MSG)
Maybe you are guilty of wearing your old habits like they fit for your new life in Christ. You are drinking, partying, hanging out with people you know point you down a path of death, sleeping around, choosing your flesh over obedience to Jesus. They don't fit, take it off and burn it. You have outgrown that old way of life. When you are made new in Christ He gives you a new wardrobe that's custom fit with HIS label on it. He will never give you something that you have to shrink to fit into, now He MAY give you things that you have to grow into. Maybe He's called you to step into something that is beyond your ability, your education, your capacity, your comfort zone but He's called you to step into it. You will grow into it because He will be the one to grow you into that role and position.
He's always calling us higher. Sometimes in the natural it looks like you have been demoted but in God's kingdom He is growing you into a position of humility so He can to strip away pride. Maybe He wants to teach you how to serve instead of always being served. Maybe He wants to show you how to submit, Maybe He wants you to learn honor. You have outgrown pride, arrogance, entitlement, greed, disrespect, so take those off and put on His nature. Don't keep yourself in a place where you are stunting your growth.
Sometimes we can be guilty of trying to put on an assignment that is meant for someone else, but because of envy or being discontent with OUR assignment we will try to force ourselves into their clothes. Let me tell you, you will NEVER be happy or feel fulfilled when you are operating in a lane that was not designed for you. You will always feel unsettled, unhappy, frustrated, disappointed and let down. You can have a healthy admiration for a gift someone else has but once envy comes into play you have slipped into a very unhealthy position that will cause you to become ungrateful for what God has blessed YOU with and you will neglect that assignment God has given you.
We need to take the position of not having any more time wearing things that no longer fit. We have work to do and that keeps us from doing our Kingdom work while we are here on Earth. We can't get distracted by someone else's lane because we need to run faithfully in ours, people's lives depend on our focus.
1. What are you wearing that no longer fits? Friendships, assignments?
2. How do you feel when you are wearing something that you have outgrown?
3. Do you envy others gifts, talents, callings or assignments? If so, why?
4. What is the assignment God has currently given you? Are you distracted from completing it?
