The other day, I was at home when a friend of mine called to say that she was ordering take out from a Mexican restaurant in my area and asked if Joel and I wanted Mexican food for dinner. We hadn't eaten yet, so I said, "Sure!" When she arrived at our house, I thanked her for being so thoughtful and then noticed, "Wow! You smell just like Mexican food!" Well, she couldn't smell it because she was used to the aroma since she was in the atmosphere. The next day, I was on the phone with her and to prove a point, I said, "Go get the shirt you were wearing yesterday and see if it still smells like Mexican food." Sure enough, she walked back to her laundry room and picked up that shirt, and it still smelled just like Mexican food!
Just like that smell was on my friend and she didn't even realize it, sometimes negative things can be attached to us emotionally and we don't even realize it—negative attitudes, wrong mindsets or even unforgiveness. If we are in the wrong atmosphere, we can become accustomed to those things which make them harder to recognize. When the wrong things are weighing us down, scripture tells us what to do—we have to change our garments! Isaiah 61 says to "put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." In an instant, we can change garments, so to speak. We can put on praise, hope, love and joy. In an instant, you can change the atmosphere in your mind, even if you can't change the atmosphere around you.
Today, I encourage you to take a deep breath and examine your heart and mind. If there is anything in your life that you need to get rid of, go ahead and release it to God. He will take our old, soiled, smelly garments and make them new again! Put on the garment of praise and the attitude of victory!