WHAT BAGGAGE ARE YOU CARRYING THAT YOU DON'T WANT?

WHAT BAGGAGE ARE YOU CARRYING THAT YOU DON’T WANT?

 

Do you feel like putting out a For Sale sign to rid yourself of baggage you no longer want, whether that be sins, personality quirks, annoyances, obligations, heartaches, or ineffective relationships?

 

Be honest about what your “trash removal” wish would be. Today is the day to let go of anything you don’t want, whether it’s realistic or not—or whether having it in your life is your fault or not. One word of caution: You may not want to list today a cross that Jesus has asked you to bear; for example, being criticized for your faith. Or, if you are thinking of jettisoning something that God may actually want you to keep—your marriage vows, for instance—hold on. Don’t be like Jonah in the Bible story that follows! Be sure you are in agreement with God about what you write. Let him speak to you today about what he wants you to get rid of as soon as possible.

 

SO, YOU DON’T WANT THESE THINGS?

 

Would you like to exchange your illness, demanding schedule, or meddling in-laws for a more perfect life? Are you ready to walk away from being abused, or from your own sin of vanity, worry, or deceit? Have you had enough regrets, unhealthy boundaries, anxiety, or bragging? Is this the last day you will curse, smoke, go to bars, or be lukewarm about your relationship with Jesus? Are you wondering how you collected so much unnecessary baggage in your life, such as jealousy, stress, or prejudice?

 

What would you like to shed? Is it unwanted pounds, family secrets, or a guilty conscience? Dr. Leslie Parrott, a marriage and family therapist at Seattle Pacific University (SPU), has a well-thought-out list of what she’s finished with.

 

LESLIE PARROTT WANTS TO THROW AWAY SOME UNDESIRABLE THINGS

 

Leslie Parrott is codirector (with her husband) of the Center for Relationship Development at SPU, a groundbreaking program dedicated to teaching the basics of good relationships. The Parrotts are authors of numerous books, including Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, Becoming Soul Mates, and When Bad

Things Happen to Good Marriages. They have been featured on Oprah, CBS This Morning, CNN, and The View, and in and USA Today and the New York Times. They have two sons. Leslie’s call is to “transform relationships to transform lives.” She works side-by-side with her husband Les to provide books and seminars that help to make bad relationships better and good relationships great. They draw from cutting-edge psychological research and sound biblical wisdom, combining them to give practical insights that enhance relationships, with a special emphasis on marriage.

 

Leslie says, “I was in my late twenties when my parents suddenly divorced after thirty-five years of a seemingly happy marriage. It was my dad who left to remarry and create a new family. His sudden leaving was an unhappy shock and in my grief and anger I withdrew from him. Consequently, an entire decade passed without seeing my dad. I wince to even say those words. Even though we have now reestablished our relationship, those lost, cold years between us haunt me deeply. It is the heaviest baggage I carry.

 

“I’m betting most moms can relate to my ‘mommy baggage.’ I seem to accumulate doubts and fears on a near daily basis (am I praying for the boys enough?; why did I use that tone of voice?; and so on). These are the nagging voices that weigh me down with regret like too many suitcases at the airport!

 

“It is the heavy baggage of our ‘shoulda, coulda, wouldas’ that pulls us into the past and robs us of joy and aliveness in the present. When we open the window to the fresh breeze of God’s grace, his mercy really is ‘new every morning.’”

 

What Baggage Are You Carrying That You Don’t Want? Jonah Had Something He Didn’t Want

 

Jonah had a direct calling from God that he did not want. So, he fled on a ship bound for Tarshish, instead of heading to Nineveh where he was supposed to go. Read Jonah 1:1–3:3. What about you? What might you be trying to get rid of that God may want you to keep?

 

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

 

Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. (Psalm 51:2, MSG)

 

SUGGESTED PRAYER

 

Dear Lord, there are things in my life that I, _________, don’t want. For example, God, I ask you to scrub away my guilt and soak out my sins in your laundry. And even though I say today that I don’t want certain things, Lord, you and I both know that they have filled a need in my life up to this point—so, now help me to fill that hole with you. I pray that I will have more of what you want me to have in my life. Take from me thieves that rob me of my laughter and joy—and help me accept crosses that perfect me. Help me live a life that pleases you, stowing my baggage with you!

 

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?