Materialism Challenge Part 4

I decided to go through my clothes this week as a part of my Materialism Challenge. (you can read about the Challenge here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) I have always had a decent amount of clothes and enjoyed shopping but never truly realized the hold they had on me until this week. As I started going through my closet and drawers I found it harder and harder to add to the get rid of pile. Most of the clothes in my drawers are either maternity or pre-pregnancy and do not fit anymore. I had no problem bagging up all the maternity clothes to store at my parents house for any future pregnancies but getting rid of other clothes that do not fit me was a bit more difficult.

Now I believe God has been calling me to live a life of simplicity and away from materialism. I found this very hard to accept when it came to my clothes. I mean everyone needs clothes, right? But how much do I really need? Where is the line between necessity and luxury? The line may be different to each person, and each person needs to seek God for this answer. For me however, I struggled and am still struggling with where this line should be.

Our culture says so much about how we look, and how we should dress. We should be stylish and cute. I am NOT saying that being stylish and cute is a sin, I am just personally feeling convicted on how much value I have placed into looking stylish and cute. Where do I truly find my worth? Where do I find other peoples worth? In how they look? In how I look?

This is a battle that I feel I will never fully overcome. I must continue to seek God for my worth, instead of clothes, looks, or style. I think I will find this most difficult when I am surrounded by Christians who find nothing wrong with having nice clothes and accessories. I am not saying there is anything wrong with having these things, but for me, I struggle to much in where I find my worth, and therefore need to eliminate some of the materialism that is holding me back from knowing where my true worth should be found, in Christ.

I was bought for a price not so that I can continue on in an unchanged life. I was bought at a price because I am loved, for His Glory. Not so that I can look cute on Sundays or so that I can have the most stylish things, but so that I would know my worth in Him and bring praise and glory to Him.

I'm sure God will direct me to spend the money I would usually spend on clothing, on a much more Worthy cause.

I write this post not to say I have overcome this struggle in ANY WAY, this is a battle of the mind I fear I will have to be in forever. A battle of what the world says is worthy and what my God says is worthy. I write this for accountability and for you reading to know that your worth is so far greater than that which can be expressed through clothing, or style. Your worth comes from a God who loves you and wants you to seek His Glory.