Confessions of a Shopaholic
Confessions of a Shopaholic: Our Love for Fashion Should Never Be Bigger Than Our Love for Jesus
My name is Melanie, and I am a recovering shopaholic. As women we have all probably made a similar statement to friends and then had a good laugh as we continued to fill our carts with treasures. We all love a little “retail therapy.” Am I right?
There came a time in my life, however, when this statement was not a joke anymore and the issue became much deeper. I began to hide purchases from loved ones and incur unnecessary debt charged to credit cards my husband didn’t even know existed. I rushed home many days to try to grab the packages I knew were on the doorstep before anyone got home. I shopped when I was stressed or sad because it temporarily lifted my mood. I purchased clothing I didn’t need simply because it felt good in the moment. I selfishly overspent, and my family suffered for it.
Addiction to shopping is a real thing, but many don’t see it as a problem and instead accept it as the norm. Think about it: we are surrounded by advertising that is designed to make us want whatever they are selling. Women are made to believe that to be fashionable we need to buy the latest and greatest. Last season’s fashions just won’t do!
While it isn’t wrong to wear nice things or be fashionable, we must remember that there is more to life than fashion. In Luke 12:22–23 Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (NIV).
Just like food, clothing is a necessity. But as Christian women we shouldn’t get so wrapped up in what we are wearing that we lose sight of who we are called to worship. There is a fine line between showing up well as ambassadors for Christ and taking too much pride in the way we look.
I still love shopping and buying new things to wear, but I have learned the hard lesson of what can happen when having the next new thing becomes an idol in our lives. Let’s choose to be strong, confident women who are free to express ourselves through the clothing we wear but whose hearts and minds are set on Jesus above being fashionable.
How do you maintain self-control when you are tempted to overspend on clothing or beauty products?
What boundaries could you set for yourself that will help keep you from overindulging in purchases?
How can you show up well as an ambassador for Christ while still staying within the boundaries you have set for yourself?
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.”
(Luke 12:22–23 NIV)
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