Drop Your Baggage and Move Forward

"Let us strip off every weight that slows us down ...

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

       "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a NEW thing; now it shall spring forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

        God has a new destiny for you! What's happened in your past is not nearly as important as what is in your present circumstances with God. Where you're going is much more significant than where you've been. But if you stay focused on your past, you'll get STUCK in your past. Many people get stuck in life because they've been hurt, betrayed, misused and they end up settling where they are. They allow their disappointment to keep them from a new divine appointment awaiting them. Don't let that be you! Don't let what someone did or didn't do be an excuse to live sour and negatively. Don't let a bad break, a divorce, a betrayal, a bad childhood, a health setback or a death of a loved one cause you to just settle where you are.

        This is the reason a lot of people don't have joy and enthusiasm for life. They're dragging around all of this negative baggage from their past. Somebody offended them and they got that stuffed in their resentment bag. Ten years ago, they lost a loved one. They still don't understand it. They've got that hurt and pain in their disappointment bag. In the past somebody stepped on them, lied about them, misused or abused them and that is in their victimization bag.

        Life is too short to live that way. We need to learn to travel with less baggage. Every morning when you first get up, forgive all the people that have done you wrong. Forgive all unconditionally and leave them in your heavenly Father's hands. Let go of all the disappointments, the setbacks and the unfairness of life. God did not create you to carry around all that baggage. Let it go and move forward with a new day, a new outlook. Put your hand firmly in God's hand and trust him unconditionally.

       Move forward and God will vindicate you. Move forward and God will increase you. Move forward and start a new beginning and don't get stuck in your past.

       Nothing that has happened to you is a surprise to God. He is sovereign over everything. Your problems, perplexities and turmoil didn't catch Him off guard. They were not allowed in order to defeat you but to increase you. They were allowed to grow your dependency in the God of your universe.

        So the real question is, are you going to get stuck, fall into self-pity, become bitter and let the past poison you? Or are you going to, in God's renewing grace, shake it off and move forward in the blessing God has in store for you.

Growing in Christ,

Jim & Sally