Luggage

I am going to share some thoughts that I shared with some friends in 2009 as I was waiting to get pathology results after having surgery. During that time of waiting, I did some reading in Max Lucado's book entitled "Traveling Light". This book is about releasing the burdens that we were never intended to bear, and is based on Psalm 23.

The author writes about how we grab our luggage when we first get up in the morning, and carry it with us throughout the day...."The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add on a backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a trunk of fear...No wonder you're so tired at the end of the day. Lugging luggage is exhausting.....God is saying to you, 'Set that stuff down! You're carrying burdens you don't need to bear!'

It is no surprise that the verse which comes next is from Matthew 11:28. You guessed it. That's the one with the invitation to come to Him when we are weary and carrying heavy burdens, as He will give us rest. Our loving Father wants to take our "luggage" and lighten our load.

I suspect that each of us has our own unique set of "luggage" which may vary from day to day. What would it be like to turn over those bags to God and to trust Him with the burdens that we were never intended to bear in the first place? I am tired of lugging them around. Okay. I'll give it a try. Aaaaahhhhh..... It is so freeing to remove that cumbersome load from my weary shoulders. I am able to stand straighter and to walk with a lighter step. It feels like I could take flight at any moment.

Next week I will be in a time of waiting again after having the six-month follow-up mammogram. I pray that God will help me to leave the luggage with Him. After all, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

What is weighing you down? Are you ready to lighten your load?