Could you be suffering from Purse Syndrome?

TODAY’S PROVERB: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 14:12

“It seemed like a good idea at the time!”

Have you ever thought or said that when a decision or idea went awry? I sure have. And, I have to admit that I’m someone who is fearful of making mistakes. I think I do everything to avoid them, yet it still happens. Why?

Recently, I’ve noticed I have a pattern to these mistakes. I call it the Purse Syndrome. Any men out there? Stick with me, this will make sense, eventually.

I like buying purses. As you can imagine, I have more than I need. And yet, I buy more. Not all the time, but enough times it’s becoming a bit of a problem.

When I see a purse I like, I look at it closely. Inside. Outside. Are there pockets so I have easy access to my cell? Can I put all the stuff I carry in there? Is it easy to carry? Does the color match more than one outfit? Is it on sale? If all these questions fit my “needs” then the Purse Syndrome begins.

It begins with itemizing all the benefits. How does it feel in my hands? How does it look when I carry it? I can imagine it with different outfits. Then, I’ll look at the price again. If it’s on sale then a sense of urgency develops.

If I succumb and the purse comes home with me, in most cases I will use it a few times and go back to my old reliable purse.

Here’s what I discovered: I hold things I want too tightly. If I hold it too tightly emotionally, I can’t hear reason or logic. Or worse, I can’t hear my husband when he questions my decision. In fact I get a little miffed.

So, how does this relate to more serious decisions? Those that can be life-changing? Believe it or not, the same syndrome can affect our decision-making process.

When we have a decision before us, and we’re having difficulty hearing from the Lord, it could be we are holding too tightly to one particular option.  If we begin itemizing all the pros to one option — even begin “seeing” it come to reality, we may be caught in the Purse Syndrome.

Regardless of whether it’s the right decision or not, if we can’t let go so that we know for certain, we’ll have problems further down the road.

If we can let go of our desire and our fleshly rationale, then it’s easier for our Heavenly Father’s still small voice to be heard.

What we hear from Him will line up with Scripture — which is another way to determine if it really is the Lord. Having stepped outside the Purse Syndrome, we can move forward in accordance with His will — not our own. And that’s a good thing.

May we let go so we can hear our Heavenly Father’s voice, my friends.

Proverbs 14:12 Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs