If you’ve been traveling lately, you know that the rules for checking baggage have changed. There are now more fees for checked baggage and more restrictions about what can be carried on. In short baggage is a problem. Yet that is surely no surprise to most of us; we’re used to dealing with baggage!
Everyday, we carry excess baggage around with us every where we go. Sitting still or moving around, that baggage is always with us. At first it was a bit of an annoyance, but now we’re so used to it, we hardly notice it.
The baggage I’m talking about is all that stuff that we cannot let go of from our past. I can’t help thinking that if we were charged for all those old things we hang on to, we’d more quickly relinquish them. Paul knew what I’m talking about. Consider this verse from his letter to the Church at Corinth:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
The old things are forgiven, cleansed away, and forgotten. Now He wants us to forget them too. Our Lord loves us and wants us to have a new life, even though that sin nature constantly wars with the new. When we are overcome, we have only to call upon the name of Jesus in repentance to receive forgiveness and restoration to Him.
Remember this verse? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Hang onto it. Meditate on it when you begin to feel those old worthless feelings about yourself.
As a new creature in Christ, we have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, our comforter. The Bible tells us that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” ( Philippians 2:13) God gives us the power to overcome our past through the Holy Spirit.
Despite our best efforts at putting away the old sinful habits, we still have issues that remain firmly entrenched in our lives. These old things often make us dysfunctional and tend to create insecurity and a lack of trust in our Lord.
For example: we react in the ungodly ways we learned in times past. Our responses to others do not reflect our new life in Christ. Bad habits still have a hold on us and old fears keep us in bondage. We must abide in Him to get rid of the old baggage.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide with me.” John 15:4
With fresh power from the Holy Spirit, that old baggage can be left behind. Start with a prayer of confession about that baggage. Name each piece one by one and give it to Him. He’ll know what to do with it.
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2
Copyright © 2011 by Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement
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