Baggage

Have you ever gone on a trip? Are you like most of us who return home to discover that we had packed significantly more than you needed? Is your life like that? When you take your last breath are you going to find that you are overpacked or are you going to realize that every bit of the baggage was necessary?

We all have baggage. Not just the stuff we check when we travel or use as storage for our off-season clothes. We have emotional baggage, spiritual baggage, mental baggage. Anyone who has ever lived has baggage. We carry our experiences with us. Our experiences help to shape us into who we are and who we will become.

Imagine the gym bag of a high school football player. After practice, it is full of sweat soaked clothes, shoes, and accessories. This bag isn't small, it is a heavy duffel bag and our athlete's two year old little sister is trying to carry it. This is just like when we are trying to carry all of our baggage. It weighs us down and holds us back. But if her older brother carries the bag, they will get to the car much faster - as he can move faster while carrying the bag on one shoulder and her in his arms.When they get home, is it safe to let the little girl unpack the bag and wash the dirty clothes by herself? Of course not. She needs help and supervision to make sure that she is safe. This is what God does for us.

He is there to take the heavy, smelly, cumbersome bag and carry it - and He is so strong that He can carry us right along with it. He doesn't leave us to unpack and wash everything in the bag without guidance. The Bible gives us direction. God brings people into our lives (counselors, pastors, recovery sponsors, supportive friends and family, etc.) to help us with working through and addressing the trouble spots - just as a grass stain on white pants needs to be pretreated.

Who is going to help you unpack your baggage? Are you determined that you can unpack and rearrange it all by yourself? Do you think that your friends, your family, your counselor, pastor, or whoever is going to do it for you? Have you considered that the only way you can completely unpack the baggage and put it away so that you can use your experiences to help someone else is to let God help? God is the only one who can take our baggage, sort it out, and show us how to use it to help others.

Why are you still carrying your baggage? You know that it isn't getting any lighter, but you continue to carry it. Is it because it is familiar and "safe"? God can carry all of that baggage while He is working it out. It is easier than it seems to let God carry the burden. It only seems difficult to let God carry the baggage when you aren't ready to let go of it and keep taking it back.

I want to challenge you to take an honest look at yourself and your baggage. Who is carrying it? Have you decided to let God carry it? Why? What do I need to work through to be who God intended me to be? How are we (you and God) going to deal with processing and healing from your hurts?

*I am not saying that counseling is a bad thing at all. I am only suggesting that you cannot expect your counselor to heal your issues for you. You can expect their guidance, support, and encouragement. The same goes for any other person in your life.