During chapel today at Kingfom Christian Academy, I watched our middle school students create skits about “emotional” baggage. It was amazing to see how even these young ones understood the importance of letting go of “weights”that they recognize at their young age.
Many believers carry emotional baggage much of their lives. They refuse to drop the disappointments, hurts, and frustrations because somehow it makes them feel justified to remember the past negative events and blame others for where they landed in life. They never realize that as long as they remain self-victims, they are choosing to stay in the place of stagnation and frustration.
Others refuse to be accountable and deny their part in events in their own lives, often blaming and criticizing others, while they continue to carry the weight of the past. Their pride holds them in bondage to resentment and blame, paralyzing the God-potential within.
I know a man now in his later years who has consistently blamed others for his failures. He blamed those who called him out on his laziness, lack of preparation, and sloppy follow through. He refused to drop his baggage and be accountable for his own choices in life. And he remains in the same defeated place.
I know others who have manned up to their weaknesses and mistakes, giving opportunity for growth, development, and greater success because they refused to hold on to the old mistakes of the past. Rather, they used these times as stepping stones to their future growth, development, and increased self-awareness.
We must choose. Do we hold onto our baggage like a prized possession? Do we continue to blame others when we get called out? We must choose. Blaming others is a shovel that keeps burying future potential, peace of mind, and God given opportunities.
There are many examples in Scripture of letting go and letting God take us where He wants to take us. But we must first release the anchors of the past so we can soar to the heights God desires us to go.
What baggage are you clinging to? What anchors are you carefully maintaining that keep you earth bound and unproductive?
It’s a choice! Choose life!
