How much baggage do you carry?

Worry weighs a person down. Proverbs 12:25

I have a lot of bags, suitcases, purses, etc. They hang on every hook, closet, and often times take up temporary homes in the kitchen, bathroom and the middle of the living room floor. I carry big bags everywhere. For some reason, I think I need to bring all this stuff to get even the simplest job done. I'm often amazed at how heavy my bags can get and how little I get done with the things I keep carrying back and forth between home and school. Today I was thinking about my beautiful bags and the contents inside. I brought home my usual "baggage" which consisted of 2 very large utility totes roughly they measure 12 X 22 X 10, my purse, lunch bag, printer, and laptop. Believe it or not, it all fits inside those two big bags. I have so much stuff inside them that I sometimes have to use a rolling chair to bring them to my car.


I have considered downgrading to a smaller bag but the thought of deciding what to leave at school and what to bring home creates a feeling of uneasiness. Steve estimated the weight of each bag is about 30 pounds. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Why are you carrying 60 pounds of baggage around every single day?


That is a really good question. Just like the weight of my bags, we all carry around baggage that weigh us down. Maybe you do not literally and physically carry that much baggage but figuratively speaking, I am sure you can relate to what I am trying to explain. When I worry, the effects can weigh me down. I can become discouraged and negative. I have even been known to say a thing or two that I without fail, live to regret. You can see it on my face, my shoulders slump, and I look like I lost my best friend. And you know what? When I worry, I do just that...lose my best friend, a.k.a., my connection with God. He did not create us to walk around with the weight of the world on our shoulders; but to be happy and live in peace. When I let worries creep in, Satan takes his opportunity to throw in a little discouragement, doubt and discontentment. Satan, the master of deception uses these weaknesses as tools to get us to take our eyes off of God and onto our circumstances. Pretty scary, huh?


There is good news, God gave us the most powerful weapons to overcome the worries in our life. He tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." It is impossible for us to live a healthy life and stay strong during life's storms if Satan is invited into our minds. Get rid of those heavy bags...God has a lighter load for you to carry and he is just waiting for you to call on him.

You and I were not a part of the master plan that God created but it was created for us and we have a direct line to the Creator Himself. He wants us to draw near to him in every situation and we can do this by remembering that God is still on His throne and there is hope. God encourages us to set our minds on thing above and not on the earthy things. We cannot always change our circumstances but we have the power to change how we let those circumstances affect our lives. John 16:33 reminds us that "in this world we will have trouble".

If we aren't careful, we will miss out on all God has to offer...like an opportunity to focus on the things that truly matter. Remember when Mary of Bethany and Martha were preparing for Jesus' visit? Martha was frustrated that Mary was at Jesus' feet rather than helping her work to get things ready. Jesus was pretty blunt when he told Martha in Luke 10:41, "You are worried and upset about many things". Mary was doing what you and I need to be doing...focusing on things above! Do not forget that He is Jehovah-Jireh...our Provider. He has the power to change our circumstances and in the process change us.. 


Next time you have a momentary "brain freeze" like I did tonight rely on God to handle things. Speak loud enough for the whole world to hear you say Jesus' very words in Matthew 16:23, "GET BEHIND ME SATAN! YOU ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ME" Then think about something positive or say something positive to someone that needs to hear it because their baggage is too heavy. Run the Devil and all his evil twins out of your town (mind). Be prepared, they will be back to try and destroy the good work that God has started in you; but you will have the necessary tools to send him packing every time. Remember El-Shaddai (Almighty God) is the ruler of heaven and earth. Satan's job is to tear down the Kingdom of Heaven. You can build it up by not letting him have access to your baggage.  God wants very little from you...seek Him in all your ways. He will bring someone into your life at the right time to encourage you and get you back on track. Thank you Dawn for being the encouragement I needed tonight! God is without a doubt...AN ON TIME GOD!