What’s the deal with keeping?
On the Dangerous album, Michael Jackson presented a song “In the Closet.” The song was clear in reminding the parties involved to keep their intense romantic episodes concealed between the two. The closet is a place to hide or keep. We keep clothing, safes, guns, shoes, valuables, what we hoard, and many other objects in. Of those items, some the public will see and others they never will.
What comes first, the getting or the getting rid of?
Life, indeed, is filled with closet moments and closet actions. Unbeknownst to us, at times, we hold too much. When we add to our closets we generally remove the old items, for their purpose has expired. In addition, out of habit and for the sake of space, we do not replace the old with old. We buy and replace with new. The Bible says our gift will make room for us. Just like an over packed closet cannot handle anymore, we are doing too much with what we have been given. Instead of expanding our gift we are unknowingly smothering it. We are not allowing it to blossom and bloom where it needs to, for commanding it to work where we have it.
Better let go or risk growth
Here is the truth, we cannot keep asking God to give us more or to show us new pathways. Why? Because He is looking at a cluttered mind, a cluttered heart, and cluttered intentions. For this reason, something has to go out for something else to go in. Our gift cannot have the roommates we are trying to force upon it. It needs freedom. To receive the most of what your gift is capable of rewarding, unhinge from what and who you have consumingly attached to. Though it seems as if there is benefit, consequently there isn’t. Neither are as advantageous as you want them to be. They are anchors. Your advantage will come with persisting while doing what you need to, not in doing what brings temporary gain.