God is too busy trying to change who we are to notice what we wear

​Earlier this summer, I went to my friend Stephanie's wedding. I had to wear a suit. Accent on 'had to' - since I'm not a fan of wearing one.

When I shared the picture here on Facebook - and quoted my friend Pam who said I was dressed in my 'casket attire' - it drew attention. Mainly because people had never seen me in a suit. I dare say most people had never seen me in anything but my running gear.

What people wear is often the first thing we notice. We notice their clothes, their new hairdo (not mine of course 🙄). We notice that they have lost or gained weight and their new tattoo or piercing. The reality is, we go through this world spending a lot of time noticing and focusing on what people have on them.

You know what I wonder? I wonder when I went to my friend's wedding, did God even notice my new suit? Was God aware that I'd traded in my comfortable Under Armors for the clothes I'll be buried in?

Because here is what I know about God. God has no interest in changing how we appear to the world - he's too busy trying to change how we see the world. God has no interest in what's going on my body - he's too busy shaping what's going on inside my heart.

Some days I find that comforting. Because there are days when I don't treat people as well as I want to. I don't notice their pain. I don't extend to them the patience they need. There are days I say and do things I wish I hadn't done and said.

And you know what - before I said and did them, God KNEW I didn't want to. Before I said and did things that weren't in line with who I really am, God knew who I really was. Before I started longing for forgiveness, God was already forgiving me.

When we aren't our best selves on the outside, God knows the better self that lives on the inside.

There's comfort in that.

There's also the other side of this. There are days I wish I could say, "but God - check out my new suit." There are days I wish I could hide from God the things I can hide from the world.

There are days I wish God noticed my casket attire and not my bitterness.

There are days I wish God was dazzled by the smile on my face and not convicting me over the frown in my soul.

There are days I wish God would just settle with me looking good TO the world and not constantly trying to make me be more loving WITH the world.

Either way, as someone who is always wanting to change - someone always wanting to be better - I know that doesn't happen when I change my clothes. It happens when I partner with the only person who truly knows what's beneath the clothes.

What I put on does nothing to change me. It does nothing to prepare me to impact the world.

What I put in me does.

WHO is in me does.

Today, maybe spend some time with that WHO. The good news is, you don't have to dress up for the visit.

Chances are, he won't even notice what you're wearing.