🧳 Life is a journey. We hear a lot about using our GPS to get through life. It’s a great analogy. God is our GPS that points us in the way we should go. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. We start our journey but what and who do we take on our journey with us?
🧳 As Christians, we are on a spiritual journey. Someday we will arrive at our destination but we are not there yet. We must first pack our spiritual suitcases to ensure a successful trip.
🧳 At the beginning of our life journey, we are each given a suitcase to carry. A suitcase is a portable case for temporary storage designed to hold personal items along our journey. Luggage is also temporary but it is more cumbersome and it has more weight than it does value. Did you exchange your suitcase for luggage?? We do need to pack our suitcase but be careful you don’t lug things along that you won’t need. Pack only what is necessary for YOUR journey.
🧳 Sometimes, the greatest problem to our spiritual growth are the things we’re already carrying or that we think are essential. We may have picked them up on our own, or others may have placed them on us but they still add to our weight and weigh us down.
🧳We all have different sizes and we all pack differently. Some of us have a hard exterior and others have a soft side. Some pack light because their trip is short and easy. Some pack such a full suitcase that they look like a hoarder. Some pack valuables in secret hidden compartments. Some fold everything up nice and neat and everything has a place. Others just throw everything in! 🧳 How do you pack? Have you thought through what you need for your journey? How have you packed for your spiritual journey?
What do I want in my spiritual suitcase? I came up with a packing list I want.
Bible-my nourishment and inspiration
Faith & prayer-the one who leads my way
Flexibility-delays, detours, disappointments will all happen so I need to be flexible and adaptable
Creativity-I want to use my God given talents and abilities to do things
Rest-traveling from one place to another can be exhausting. I will need periodic rests.
🧳 There have been some things that I chose to pack along the way that are cumbersome. Once in a while, I need to sit down, unpack and go through and re-organize or leave those things behind. We all need to face what’s in our suitcase every so often.
🧳 A relationship with your luggage carrier is essential because He helps make the trip easier and reminds of our destination. He help us let go of certain things we unintentionally pack-shame, fear, guilt, unforgiveness, rejection…..”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28
🧳 Some of us have luggage that is so heavy, it puts us over our limit and we pay for it. “Cast your cares on Him and He will sustain you.” Psalm 55:22
There is a limited amount of space and time for each one of us. You can fill that space and cram it full of “stuff” or you can fill it with essentials. Let Him help fill you with what you need for your trip.
🧳 When you reach your final destination, how much unnecessary things do you have to unpack that you could have left behind? Did you use each item on your journey that you carried with you? When you unload at your destination, what would your suitcase contents say about you? About your journey?
🧳 Remember, when you arrive at your final destination, you will leave your suitcase at the gate. It all stays here except your spiritual contents. You only need take in what’s packed in your heart. “Your Word have I hidden in my heart.” Psalm 119:11a❤️
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Sam. 16:7