Release the Weight of Your Emotional Baggage
We all have some emotional baggage at some point in our lives. We need to learn how to let it go so we can live free.
I hate being divorced. I never dreamt the D-word would be a part of my life. I remember the first time I filled out some paperwork after the divorce was final and I had to mark my marital status.
As I checked the divorced box, my skin crawled. Reality was sinking in that I had a new identity. After nineteen years, I was no longer a wife, but I didn’t get to go back to the single box—I had to move forward to the divorced box. It was a dagger in my heart.
Reconciliation
The tearing of one flesh into two was excruciating. It is not God’s design for marriage. Marriage is a covenant meant to be kept until death. And when my marriage prematurely ended, I suffered the pain of a death.
Only we were still alive.
And I had no clue how to live the abundant life that Jesus promises while my heart felt ripped in two. But then it happened . . . time passed. During that time, I saturated myself in God’s Word. I worked on controlling my thought life, and I prayed my heart out.
And only by God’s grace am I still standing.
I Have So Much Baggage
I had heard someone say, regarding single moms, that as long as your children have one stable parent in the home, they will be okay. So that became one of my life goals: to be the stable parent. But I had a very real problem that did not exist before the divorce—I had some serious baggage.
Some of us are living life like this. We have past hurts, wounds, and regrets that weigh us down. This is not the life that God wants for us!
I’m reminded of Saul when he was being appointed as the first king of Israel. In 1 Samuel we read, “[Kish] had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (1 Samuel 9:2). Saul was young, tall, and more handsome than any other man in Israel. He had everything going for him, but guess what he did when he was about to be announced before the people as king? He hid in the baggage (1 Samuel 10:21–23).
Step into the Light
I don’t know why Saul hid, but he was clearly scared, and Samuel did not allow him to hide. He pulled him out before the people, and then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:24). I am sure that he loved that. But there are always naysayers, and in verse 27 it says some of the men said, “How can this man save us?” and despised him.
You see, some people thought he was unqualified. They did not think that he would be a very good king, but Samuel pulled him out and said God wanted to use him. It’s the same for you. God wants to use you even though you may feel unqualified.
The enemy wants you to hide in the darkness of your baggage, but God wants you to step out into the light so he can use you for his glory.
Jesus Offers Freedom, Peace, and Rest
After my divorce, I had an impossibly heavy bag to carry. My emotions were everywhere, and the enemy tempted me to hide and beat myself up. No way could I carry everything that was happening in my life alone. I needed help. I had to give it to Jesus.
Is the load you are carrying today too heavy? Give it to Jesus. Let him carry it for you, and choose peace even when there isn’t any.
In His Word
Read 1 Samuel 9‒10.
Consider the theme of divine providence, as it highlights how unexpected circumstances can lead to significant events. Additionally, reflect on the complexities of leadership and the qualities that make a leader, as seen through the anointing of Saul as Israel’s first king.
In Your Life
- What does your baggage look like? Do you struggle with baggage from the past? What burdens are you carrying right now?
- Go to Jesus now in prayer and give him your burdens. Write your prayer out as you exchange your weariness for his peace and rest.
We Recommend
We recommend the book Still Standing: How to Live in God’s Light While Wrestling with the Dark by Courtney Joseph Fallick. We love how this book helps you find your footing in Christ and hold on to God’s promises after life knocks you down.
Let’s Connect
Courtney Joseph Fallick is a bestselling author and the founder of Women Living Well Ministries and Good Morning Girls. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Courtney has been featured on The Rachael Ray Show and has spoken at many national conferences, including Relevant, Allume, Proverbs 31 Ministries, She Speaks, The NINES, Axis, Mom Heart, and Hearts at Home. She’s been blogging through the Bible, one chapter a day, since 2014, and makes her home in Ohio with her blended family.