This week has been such an awesome week of being spoiled. I finally had time to visit my hairdresser and say goodbye to my old hairstyle and especially those greys. After spending the whole morning at the salon, I walked out of there feeling like a million bucks.
As I was driving home, I thought about how this beauty treatment and the feeling before and afterwards is similar to how we feel before and after we spend time with God.
The busier the world tells us we should be the less time we make to spend with our Creator until we reach a point that our baggage becomes so profound that we think we need to be beautiful, perfect and new before we seek Him or spend time in His presence?
But, we are our experiences. Our life stories are beautiful, and when we testify by telling our stories to someone, we comfort and inspire them to hold on, keep believing, stand fast and trust in Him.
When we don’t deal with our baggage, it can affect so many things in our lives. After my divorce years ago I never dealt with the pain and issues related to it. I didn’t set foot in a church for seven years after the divorce because I blamed God for everything. I had little compassion, was overly critical and really nasty when things were not to my liking. I never apologised. I carried all those issues into my second marriage. My husband is the most amazing human being I know, he is so patient and kind, and stuck by my side, even when I kicked him out in 2019.
While we were apart, he was invited to attend a Mighty Men Conference. When he returned, I could see the change in him. God had touched his heart, and because of his willingness to allow Father into his life, he touched the lives of our whole family.
We started attending cell group and church and volunteered at camps when we had the chance.
Our marriage has now been fully restored, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t fight or never have a difference of opinion. What has changed is how we deal with issues and always ask for forgiveness. Father has restored our marriage and family. We see His favour and love in our lives every day.
We should always hold onto His promise, prophecy and hope rather than gather baggage. When you deal with your baggage you will be surprised at how many issues you carry around with you and how light you feel after getting rid of those issues.
When you want to deal with your baggage seek help from a counsellor or your pastor or talk to someone you trust. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you carry around with you. Find a place where you can spend time with Him, write it all down and take it day by day, do whatever you need to do, but get that baggage sorted!
He will change your life in so many ways – you will never be the same again!
Isaiah 49:13-16 says:
Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth;
burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.”
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Kingdom News: Why you should deal with your baggage
Emotional baggage can be the same as real life baggage. The longer you wait to unpack it, the fuller the suitcase becomes and eventually the items will start spilling out of the suitcase. Photo: Generic Image