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“I don’t have anything to wear!”
You’ve heard the saying. If you haven’t said it or thought it at least once then…well…let’s just say we probably don’t live on the same planet. Personally, I’ve thought it often. Make that very often…especially after having two babies. One, I no longer fit into my old “cute” clothes. Two, I’ve had to wear maternity clothes for months and everyone knows that is NOT trendy. Three, the clothes that do fit ALLLLL have holes in them or stains from baby spit-up…okay, not quite all but it sure feels that way.
I NEED new clothes.
You ever feel like that? Your closet’s stuffed full of clothes but none seem to go together or fit just right or are appropriate for the public eye. You know the excuses.
Well today I decided it was time to hit my sense of clothing entitlement in the gut. And what was the straw that broke the camel’s back? My daughter has begun to take notice of the clothing I wear and even comments that my stretched out shirts show too much or that my holey capris (made that way for fashion’s sake) show too much skin. Let’s just say, if you are unsure as to whether your wardrobe is G-rated, just ask a 3-year old; they have no problem telling what they think. All that to say, I need not only be thankful for what I have but also make sure what I have glorify’s God.
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| My closet after the big purge |
Thus, today I began to overcome my sense of clothing entitlement by purging. No, I didn’t begin by buying more trendy outfits but by getting rid of old clothing such as the holey capris and stretched out T’s to see what I really have that is useful.
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| Hats on the top shelf |
Here’s my results:
1 swimsuit and cover-up
3 workout outfits (1 winter, 2 summer)
4 sets of pajamas (3 winter, 1 summer)
5 business outfits (2 summer, 3 winter)
6 dresses and shirt/skirt combos for church (2 summer, 2 winter, 2 any season)
8 everyday outfits (4 winter, 4 summer)
I also have 5 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of tennis shoes, 1 pair of flip-flops, 2 pairs of dressy sandals, 1 pair of dress shoes, and 5 hats.
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| Shoes organized–check. |
God has provided my every need.
That’s 27 outfits and 11 pairs of shoes! By many middle and upper class person’s standards that is not a lot but for this stay-at-home mom its enough. Add in the fact that I usually do laundry twice a week and my wardrobe more than meets my needs. God has provided me a covering. Why do I complain?
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| Adding clothing dividers make it easy for me to find clothes each day. |
I mean there have been times I have done nothing but complain to my husband about the current state of my depravity. Yes, I said the “D” word…depravity. There’s just something about the words entitlement and depravity that cause them to constantly go together. When you don’t get what you feel entitled to you can feel deprived. Deprived and unjustly so.
Do You Really Wear ALL of THAT?
So let’s put this all into some perspective. The average American spends approximately $1700 on clothing a year and has approximately 27 pairs shoes in their closets. In some of the world’s poorest countries including Liberia, Chad, and Zimbabwe they receive most of their clothing from donations brought into the country and are lucky if they have even 1 pair of shoes in their possession. Wow. Humbling isn’t it? Yet God provides. Shoot, if I had $1700 this year to spend on clothing I would have an AMAZINGLY expensive and completely unnecessary wardrobe. I think I’d rather spend it on something else….
And what does God say about all this? Let’s take a look:
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:25-34
My conclusion: I am blessed. I am provided for. God has met my every need. Do I still feel entitled to buying more clothing? Not quite as much. I mean if God sees fit to provide a way for me to get a jean skirt, some new exercise pants, or a new t-shirt, I would be ecstatic. But if not, I will be fine. And, now that I know exactly what I do have that God has provided for me, it almost makes me want to take better care of what He’s already given me so that I don’t waste or squander His precious gifts. “Thank you God for providing for my every need.”
Want more inspiration on taming the tiger of wardrobe entitlement? Check out these articles:
- How Many Clothes Do I Need? on Living on a Dime
- How Many Clothes Do You Need on Boomer and Echo
- Top 10 Poorest Countries in the World–2012
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
