What's in your bag?
Sometimes, when I'm waiting in the checkout line, I'll pick up a magazine to see what the latest celebrity rumor or fashion advice is. A lot of it is mumbo jumbo, so I put the magazine back on the stand where it belongs. One thing that particularly gets my interest though, is the page where celebrities share what's in their bag. I don't know why this is so interesting, when it usually consists of things like kleenex, lip balm, a mirror, makeup, and other miscellaneous items. Then, it gets thinking about all the stuff that's in my bag, and how I probably need to go through it and clean it out. I try to clean out my purse every quarter, or whenever I switch purses. I throw away old receipts, gum wrappers, coupons, junk mail, and then decide what should stay. I hang on to important things like my driver's license, cards, coins, pens, gum, and so forth. It always feels good after emptying it and sorting it out, not to mention lighter! As I do this, I think about how this concept applies to us spiritually also.
You see, we all have a spiritual bag. We can carry good items in there, but also things that are not so good. We can carry God's Word and promises for us, peace, joy, patience, and more. However, many of us carry things that are harmful to us. More often than not, many of us carry unforgiveness, a terrible, heavy and poisonous burden. Unforgiveness is a sin in itself, and Jesus models how we should forgive others when he was nailed at the cross. In Luke 23:34, Jesus prays for the Father to forgive his abusers, and in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus tells us if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins. Some of us do not smoke, but it's like we are carrying spiritual cigarettes. We are constantly inhaling things that are harmful and deadly to us. Are you carrying guilt or condemnation? If you are, give your burdens to the Lord so he can give you rest (Matthew 11:28). God is waiting and ready to forgive you. 1 John 1:9 says, if we confess our sins, God forgives and cleanses us from everything we‚ve done wrong, and remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12).
Stop carrying around the guilt, confess your wrongdoings before the Lord. Proverbs 28:13 If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy. Stop holding on to things you've done in your past. You can't change them, and remembering them isn't doing you any good. Receive God's mercy and grace today! Are you carrying bitterness? Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. Are you carrying around fear? Give your fears to God. For He says, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). What about emotional pain or trauma? There is nothing God in your life that God cannot bring healing to. He desires to give you a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:3).
God does not want us carrying all this baggage. All that it is doing is weighing us down, and keeping us from all the promises and blessings the Lord has for us. One of the hardest things is for us to let go. Maybe we feel the need to be in control, because things are so out of control. This is wrong-thinking. We are not God. We have to give our lives over to Him and let Him be in control. Let us not continue to carry these things that are crippling us and setting us back. Just as we do in the physical, we have to constantly do an inventory and clean out our spiritual bags. Some of us need a new bag (heart, life, mind), one given to us by God, ask Him for one for we have not because we do not ask (James 4:3). You don't have to be ashamed or afraid. God cares for you (1 Peter 5:7) and He already knows what you need before you even ask (Matthew 6:8).
What kind of things are you carrying in your bag, are they helpful or burdensome, and what do they represent? When was the last time you did an inventory? How long have you been carrying these unhealthy items, days, weeks, months, years? It's time to clean out your bag, let go of some things, give things to God, and move on to all the things God has for you. Below, I have some additional verses for you to remember:
2 Corinthians 3:17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 5:17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away‚ look, what is new has come!
Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let us pray.
Father God,
Thank you for the readers and thank you for this message. I lift up the readers to You now in the name of Jesus. Please help them with their burdens and baggage. Some of them have heavy, heavy burdens that they are carrying, and some of them have been carrying these things for many years. Please show them how to release it, and free them the yokes, bonds, chains, and shackles that bind them. Help them to empty themselves, and lay all their cares, concerns, pain, and struggles at the feet of Jesus. Enable them to see the unhealthy things they carry with them, and bring healing to them. Lead them to Your Word, and guide them in their everyday lives. Some of them need a new bag, heart, mind, or life. Jesus, you are making all things new (Revelations 21:5) and came to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1). Please help them, for it isn't Your Will that any should perish, but that they would repent (2 Peter 3:9) and be set free. I know that You can do all things Lord, and that nothing is too hard for You. Thank you for what You are going to do, I give you praise. In Jesus' name, amen.
Prayerfully,
Pam
