Do you own a full length mirror?

Do you own a full length mirror?
Think about your home right now... do you have any full length mirrors? If so, is it placed somewhere prominently so that you can see it every day or is it in an out of the way place and used just for special occasions?

I am convinced that the majority of people do not own one. Go to Walmart and you will agree with me. So many times I see someone who looks great from the shoulders up, but are a train wreck from the shoulders down. They have tried to stuff themselves into something that questionably fit 3 years ago or they have not noticed that the skirt they chose for that day is completely sheer in the sunlight and their fruit of the loom granny panty lines are visible to the world. My husband often sees people like this and asks me this question. "Do they not own a mirror?" My answer is always, "Not a full length one!"

I started thinking about this one day.  If we wear clothes all over our body, why wouldn't we own a mirror that shows us everything? And then I gained 20 pounds and it all became very clear to me!

You see, that full length mirror that I own is on the door between my bathroom and my closet. So, you have to pass it before you get dressed.  It never bothered me before to walk past it on my way to grab my clothes, but after gaining a few pounds and not being completely comfortable with my body image, I started to contemplate moving that mirror to a new location. Actually, I started to think that I really didn't need a mirror that big in my dressing area anyways.

I believe that is what happens to a lot of people. Rather than facing the reality of what we look like, we choose to focus on just what we are comfortable with...our hair...our makeup...some are not even comfortable with that and decide to remove the mirrors completely from their home.

I believe we do the same thing with our spiritual reflections as well. So many times we avoid the situations in life that would reflect back to us what we look like spiritually.  Some avoid church. Some avoid reading their Bibles. Many start disassociating themselves with other people who might give them an honest glimpse of themselves. We start avoiding the spiritual mirrors or making them smaller so that we can only view the parts of us that we are comfortable with.

This must be why David cried out to the Lord in Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

David had removed the mirrors in his life because of all the sin related to Bathsheba and had come to the point where he could not self reflect anymore.  He needed help.

If you find yourself in the same position as David and you have distanced yourself from everything and everyone that might give you a glimpse of your true reflection, then start like David did. Ask God to search you and reveal to you exactly what you look like. After that, start putting those mirrors back up. It is so much better to catch a "spiritual wardrobe malfunction" before you leave the house!

Blessed,

Rachel