Letting Go of Baggage: A Journey to Spiritual Freedom

We all carry baggage. Some of us have small carry-ons, while others lug around heavy suitcases filled with years of accumulated hurt, anger, and bitterness. But what if we could set those burdens down and walk in true freedom? What if we could experience the abundant life that God intends for us?

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, gives us a powerful instruction: "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31-32, NKJV).

Notice the word "all" - it's not a suggestion to let go of some things while holding onto others. It's a call to complete release. But Paul doesn't stop there. He follows this command with another: "be." Be kind, be tenderhearted, be forgiving. It's a two-step process: let go, then be.

This journey of letting go and becoming is at the heart of our walk with God. It's about transformation, about allowing the Holy Spirit to strip away the old and clothe us in the new. But for many of us, this is easier said than done. We've become accustomed to our baggage, even comfortable with it. We've built identities around our hurts and resentments, thinking they define us.

But God sees beyond our baggage. He sees the person He created us to be - free, joyful, and full of His love. The question is, are we willing to see ourselves through His eyes?

Consider the story of a man who had been radically transformed by God. He had been set free from addiction, given a new job, a new home. He was preaching and encouraging others daily. But in one moment of weakness, he relapsed and ended up back in prison. This story serves as a stark reminder that if we don't fully cut off the things that bind us, they will always try to pull us back.

So how do we begin this process of letting go? It starts with honesty - with ourselves and with God. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the areas where we're holding onto baggage. Is it unforgiveness? Childhood trauma? A sin pattern we can't seem to break? Whatever it is, we need to bring it into the light.

The apostle John writes, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:6-7, NKJV).

Walking in the light means being honest about our struggles. It means confessing our sins and our pain to God and to trusted believers. When we do this, something powerful happens: the blood of Jesus cleanses us. Not just from some sin, but from all sin.

This cleansing is part of the sanctification process. As 1 Thessalonians 4:3 tells us, "It is God's will that you should be sanctified." Sanctification is an ongoing process of being made holy, of becoming more like Christ. It's not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey of letting go and becoming.

But here's the beautiful truth: we don't have to do this alone. Jesus has already fought the battle on our behalf. He hung naked on a cross, endured beatings and mockery, not so we could live mediocre lives, but so we could have "life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10, NKJV).

This abundant life is available to all of us, but we have to choose it. We have to be willing to lay down our baggage at the altar and not pick it up again. We have to be willing to forgive as we've been forgiven, to love as we've been loved.

It's not always easy. The enemy will try to throw our old baggage back at us. We might forgive someone only to see them at lunch the same day. But in those moments, we have a choice: we can pick up the old baggage, or we can clothe ourselves in Christ.

As we embark on this journey of letting go and becoming, here are some practical steps we can take:

1. Identify the baggage: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you're holding onto hurt, anger, or bitterness.

2. Confess and release: Bring these areas into the light through confession to God and trusted believers.

3. Receive God's forgiveness and cleansing: Allow the truth of 1 John 1:9 to wash over you: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

4. Put on the new self: Clothe yourself in Christ's attributes - kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness.

5. Declare your freedom: Even if you don't feel it yet, declare over yourself, "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!"

Remember, this is a process. There might be days when you feel the weight of your old baggage. In those moments, don't condemn yourself. Instead, remind yourself of the truth: in Christ, you are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

As you walk this journey, hold onto the promise that God is faithful. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). Your baggage doesn't define you. Your past doesn't determine your future. In Christ, you are free to become all that God created you to be.

So today, will you accept the invitation? Will you lay down your baggage and step into the abundant life that Jesus offers? The choice is yours. Freedom awaits.