Once upon a time, not that long ago, we had the ability to freely travel from one destination to another via these things called aeroplanes. If you’ve ever had the privilege of travelling, via flight, you’d be familiar with the notion of checking your baggage.
There are a couple benefits to checking your baggage that I’ve found relatable in life, love and faith. Here are my thoughts.
1. Comfort
It is really uncomfortable to travel with all of your belongings on your lap or hanging from your shoulders. Not only does it weigh us down and restrict our movement but it can also cause us to move slowly or even get hurt. Have you ever experienced a stiff neck and back after lugging around a heavy bag on your shoulders? What about the awkward ways you have to contortion your body in order to manipulate your baggage into the over head compartments? Hauling around your baggage can also cause you to miss out on things that you would otherwise have taken part in like riding in the sky lift or exploring through the stores. There’s nothing that quite kills the “journey vibe” like lugging around heavy baggage.
Have you ever noticed how heavy your baggage has become? How it prohibits you from living your life to the fullest? Sometimes it causes you physical pain. Sometimes it slows you down or leaves you feeling physically and mentally drained. It keeps you from making friends, exploring a new relationship or repairing a strained one. It makes you fearful of the future, keeps you lacking in hope and prevents you from forgiving. It prohibits you from moving forward or moving away; just like at the airport, you can’t simply leave your baggage sitting on the floor while you take a break, it must stay with you always. The enemy likes to try and convince us of two things; that holding on to our baggage is the only way to prevent us from being hurt again and we deserve to hold onto our baggage because it’s ours. On the other hand the Lord says:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
2. Safety
When you check your luggage at the check in desk it is scanned and assessed for potentially harmful items. Items that could be dangerous to you or to others. Items that could erupt at any moment, items that could intoxicate and items that just don’t fit the story or destination. These items are removed, by those that are qualified to do so, leaving the remaining items to continue on to the destination they were intended for.
Do you have items in your baggage that need to be scanned, assessed and removed? Items that aren’t helpful on your journey or required at your destination. Are you holding on to things like resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, offense or hate? Do those experiences from your past rear their heads at awkward moments causing you to break down, blow up or withdraw? Do they seep into your blood stream, slowly poisoning the image of what is good, new and praiseworthy? What are you holding on to that you know, if only you had the courage to check your baggage, God would remove from your possession?
You might be too scared to let go of the dangerous things because they’ve protected you in the past, however maybe they were designed to be fertiliser in the next season? Designed to help you grow and flourish instead of holding you back. In the words of the very wise PS. Julian Kirtisingham; maybe they were your opportunity to become an “overcomer instead of someone who was overcome”, “a conqueror instead of someone who was conquered”? Perhaps your “mess has now become your message”, your “test now your testimony”?
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Are you being held back by the weight, awkwardness and instability of the items in your luggage? Do you need to check your baggage and free yourself to focus on and enjoy the journey to your destination? Just as the lame, blind, crippled and mute were healed at the feet of Jesus, so too can you receive healing from hurt, offense, depression, anxiety, fear, addiction, unforgiveness, resentment or illness. God knows the plans he has for you, your relationship, your marriage, your family and your children. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. He wants to help bear your burden and make it light, but you need to be prepared to leave it at His feet. Hand your baggage over remaining in faith, along your journey, that God will only return to you that which is good and useful in your current season or the one ahead. I pray that this piece has blessed you and that your walk, moving forward, will be light, full of excitement and rich in cherished memories.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
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