Get rid of it! Now is the time! Exchange it!

It’s the time of year when temperatures drop a bit and the leaves on trees turn golden-yellow, burnt orange and deep red. The feeling of autumn is in the crisp air.  I welcome the change of seasons. I like to switch from my summer clothes to fall sweaters, scarves and boots.

Sometimes it’s a conundrum to figure out exactly what to wear. Is it like summer or fall today? The flip-flop in temperatures can be tricky. Yet, now is the time! So, I switch my closet over, move into fall clothes but I keep a few summer favorites accessible.

During this time of closet transformation, I hold on to my favorites from summer.  Then I attempt to only bring out the home runs from my fall/winter collection. Truthfully, I stink at letting go of things. I have gotten better. I’ve begun to give things away that aren’t truly “ME.”  I do move on more easily than I used to.

My closet is “busting at the seams” right now as are some of my clothes… YIKES! I need to bag up some things and shed a few pounds too, I guess. I got to thinking about the closet overhaul as I stood inside my closet.

My sister Sharon is a pro at getting rid of things, she is my role model in this regard. I’m extremely grateful because so many of my clothes are hand-me-downs from her. Friends say,  “Rachel, I love that sweater.”

“Thanks!” I reply. “It was my sister Sharon’s.  I snagged it because she was parting with it.” I gleefully welcomed her items into my closet. However, I don’t yet have a good exit strategy for my own.” 

As I thought about getting rid of things. I wondered, Does this relate to our thoughts too? Is it like owning a pilled up, worn out, old sweater, the one you need to part with, but you keep it because it’s comfortable and you are used to wearing it?. Well, negative thoughts can be like that. We become so used to them, they’re familiar, so we let them hang in the “closet of our minds.” But we need to choose to get rid of them and replace them with what we know is true from God’s word.

We must renew our minds and not stay in the old patterns of thinking. Especially when we’ve been transformed by the renewing of our minds, we must remain in the renewed place and get rid of the old ways of thinking. Our thoughts can spiral into negative places.  Do you know what I mean? Those thoughts that tell us lies or become accusations, condemnations, limited opportunities, dread for the future, seem to cycle in our heads. They are like old clothes that just don’t fit us anymore. We have to get rid of them.

We are in Christ so we have the mind of Christ. The kingdom of God is the dominion of the King. It says in scripture that righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost is the kingdom of God. So if it’s not right, has no peace attached to it, or is not joyful then it is NOT part of kingdom thinking. So what do we do? We have to GET RID OF IT! Swap or exchange those thoughts for the things we are told to dwell on or think about.

Graham Cooke, is a hero of the faith for me, I like a line he says, “If all the thoughts you’re thinking have brought you to a place you don’t like, have another thought!”

Philippians 4:6-9 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, Think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

So it’s pretty easy to discern what to keep in the “closet of our thoughts.” Keep these things hanging in your mind… things that are:

• true
• honorable
• just
• pure
• lovely
• commendable
• excellent
• praiseworthy
• one version says of “good report”

So how is your thinking? Let me challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about.

If you live in the part of the country with four seasons, now is the time to change wardrobes, alter closet spaces for season-appropriate clothing. I challenge all of us.Let’s change the closet of our minds to a kingdom way of thinking. God is love, he is good and his kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy. So if it doesn’t fit with that, let’s get rid of it! Now is the time! Exchange it!