Empty-Handed

I went shopping at the mall recently, for the first time in a long time. I hoped to find a new outfit to celebrate something important in my life. Well, it was a total and utter disaster. Most of the clothes I found cost way more than I wanted to spend. The clothes that were affordable looked terrible on me. I came away completely empty-handed, feeling very disappointed.

As I walked away from that night, I realized several things. I realized that I was discontent. I had clothes in my closet that I could wear. I just wanted new ones. I realized that I was looking to clothes to feel confident. Clothes couldn't give me confidence. I can only find confidence from my identity in Christ, and being clothed in his righteousness.

I came away empty-handed from my clothes shopping, but I learned something. I learned that I had an idol I needed to lay down. I remembered once again that things can't make me happy, or healthy, or whole. Those things only come from my Savior. Getting head knowledge down to my heart is a lifelong work, but maybe, just maybe this experience helped make a little forward progress, and the more my heart fills, the less distress I will feel when I come up empty-handed. To God be the glory. Amen.