Shopping

So sometimes when we shop and we find something that we really like, like... I dunno... a sweater. Everything about this sweater seems to fit just right, it's one of a kind, fashionable, and you're almost convinced that you're going to buy it... but then there's something that you're unsure about. Maybe you feel like you haven't shopped around enough... I mean, you've gone to a couple stores, some you've spent a long time in, and others you maybe just looked through the window but didn't really see anything that interesting. You really feel like this article of clothing, and you feel like you really want to invest in it... but there's still something holding you back from buying it for some reason...

From this point you have a couple solutions:

1. Just buy it. You found something that you really like, so why even bother going to the other stores? Yeah there may be other great things to buy, but it doesn't mean that the thing that you're looking at isn't just as great.

2. Put it on hold. You can always reason that even though you really like this article of clothing, you're curious of what's out there. So why not go out and shop, explore, and in the end, if you still can't stop thinking about that article of clothing, you can go back and buy it.

3. Put it back on the rack and continue to shop.

With number 1, there's that fear that maybe you're settling. There are problems with number 1, because you can buy something and still be curious about the other stores, and maybe you're satisfaction with this sweater will diminish not because it's not a great piece, but just because maybe you'll get bored of it and want something new, but at that point you've already cashed out your spendings and can't afford to buy anything else. It would be a bigger burden to go back and return it and get your money back, or maybe you feel bad, because this article of clothing used to be your favorite, and even though you don't wear it as much or maybe it got demoted to the back of your closet after sometime, you know that it will always keep you warm on cold days. So you decide to keep it, but spend a lot of your time looking around at all the sweaters that you could have bought.

With number 2... this seems more desirable, because you can go and explore and come back for it if you realize that there really isn't anything else that you really like. That way, you'll wear it more and you'll appreciate it more because you know that there weren't any other sweaters in the mall that you liked as much as the on you have. The only problem with this though, once you put something on hold, no one else can look at it and decide to buy it... and what if you do find something else that you really like, and never come back for it? The sweater won't be put on hold forever, but it will definitely take a lot longer for someone else to buy it because it was put on hold and just left there until a employee realizes that no one was coming back for it. So even though this may be the best decision for you personally, it's kind of selfish.

With number 3 there's a risk. Yes you can leave it and shop more and then find something that you like even more, and someone else will buy the sweater that you left behind... but putting it back on the rack and just leaving may mean that you can walk around the whole mall and realize there's nothing quite as good as it... come back and find out that it's gone. But then imagine shopping all day, not finding anything that you like better, coming back and seeing that the sweater is still there. Sure, people had the chance to buy it, but the point is that you let go of the idea of having the sweater, and came back after you really knew what you wanted, bought it, and are sure that it's the perfect sweater, that it was meant to be...

I think the hardest decisions to make are the ones that you know will make the best outcome for everyone. It takes a little bit of doubt, insecurity, sacrifice... and it takes a lot of strength. It takes strength to let go of things and not assume control over them. But that's the thing, we can't control anything but our own actions--and no matter the situation, when we try too hard to control uncontrollable things, we end up hurting other people... sometimes we even end up hurting ourselves... it's because as honest as our intentions can be at times, we're imperfect people fueled by passion, and emotion, and we're always looking for the easy way out...

But let go. God has a plan for everything, and if we could just let go for a moment in our lives and let God take the reigns of our will, we will be able to see more clearly. Our hearts are filled with clouds of anger, envy, resentment, self-righteousness, sadness... and pretty much everything that labels us imperfect. God's heart is pure... it's filled with love and grace... His intentions are good and His actions are fair. And if we can let go of our need to control the uncontrollable we'll be able to see what God has in store for us... and who knows, maybe it will be a sweater that you couldn't even dream of.