One of my absolute favorite things to do in life is travel. But if you are anything like me, over packing tends to be an issue. No matter if it is a weekend trip, or a weeklong trip, odds are, the amount of luggage strapped to my body, wrapped around both shoulders, and dragging not far behind me will give a person reason to assume that I am traveling with a family of 12.
If after reading that you say, “This sounds like my life.” Great! Let’s be friends!
But, let me ask you this…
Why do we allow ourselves to carry extra weight that will end up costing us more in the long run?
Let’s be real for a moment. Isn’t this how our lives look a lot of times? We pray for God to use us in mighty ways, for God to do a new thing in our lives, or for God to open up new doors of opportunity, but we expect to take all of our baggage along with us. I don’t know what baggage is for you. Maybe it’s unforgiveness that you’ve been holding onto for years, maybe it’s fear or insecurity that’s been holding you back, or maybe it’s doubt that you can’t shake off. No matter what your baggage is, truth is, we all walk around carrying more weight than God ever intended for us to carry.
Within each of us are dreams for extraordinary things, passions that drive and motivate us every single day, and there is a deep longing to be all that God has created us to be. So, why do we feel it is beneficial to tote around our baggage as if it has no affect on our future?
God can’t do a new thing if we are unwilling to remove the baggage that has been outweighing the power of God in our lives.
With each passing day I am one step closer to my launch date and in all honesty, the thought of having to pack 11 months worth of clothing and supplies into one backpack seems next to impossible. But God has been whispering in my ear something that I think is so profound, “There are promises that I want fulfill in your life. Promises that are bigger and more intentional than anything I’ve produced up to this point, but I can’t allow your baggage to go with you.”
I believe God wants to do this in your life as well. There are places that God wants to take you, but it’s crucial that you understand you can’t carry dead weight into rare atmospheres.
“We’re not just progressing into destiny, we’re launching into destiny. And when we launch, that’s not an airplane, that’s a rocket. Rockets don’t hang out in the earthly plane, they go into rare atmospheres and we can’t carry dead weight in rare atmospheres.” – Pastor John Gray
There is power in our choice, which is why God will never intercede our decisions. His desire is for us to stop using our baggage as a protection mechanism and to allow His healing power to step in and take over. This is not just for our sake, but also for the sake of someone else who is carrying the same weight, and so that God can receive all the glory.
What baggage have you claimed that you need to give over to God?
God never wants us to be bound by our baggage. I believe that God is saying to us, “drop that unforgiveness you have strapped around you, give me that fear and insecurity you have wrapped over both of your shoulders, and allow me to pick up all doubt that has been dragging not far behind you, so that you can walk in freedom and receive the fullness of my promises.”
BIG THOUGHT:
Stop giving glory to your baggage; God wants ALL glory over your life!
