Last month I started a multi-month writing called “Baggage Check.” In that article I discussed learning to let go of the unwanted baggage that we have in our lives. I mentioned the first step is acknowledging we have a problem in that area of our lives. The fact is we cannot deal with what we refuse to acknowledge in our lives.
The second thing I believe we have to do if we want to unload some unneeded luggage in our lives is we’ve got to learn to let the baggage go. Sometimes, we’ve got baggage in our lives we know isn’t good for us, we know it’s hurting us, yet we cannot seem to let go of it long enough to let it fly away from us. If you want to be well, acknowledge your problem areas and then learn to let them go.
Will this happen overnight? Probably not, letting go of baggage is a process. Sometimes we need to pray “Lord, renew my mind with your truth.” Then wake up the next day and pray it all over again. The problem with our minds is, we are humans and we tend dwell on the bad stuff. It’s like our minds get stuck viewing our behind the scenes footage (you know, the bloopers) while you’re busy looking at everyone else’s highlight reels.
We’ve got to learn to renew our minds so we see ourselves the way God see’s us. If we daily did what the Apostle Paul instructed the Romans to do we’d be in much better shape. He said, “ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In other words, (Read the Renner paraphrase) stop watching your bloopers all day and allow God to change the way you see yourself! Therein lies the struggle with letting go of baggage.
We’ve got to renew our minds in order to let the baggage go. How do you do that? Confess the problem, then fill yourself up with God’s word, allow that, and the Holy Spirit to transform you. When the blooper reels come, learn to replace those with God’s word. Listen to what and who it says you are, not what the bloopers say you are. If you still can’t shake the blooper reels and want to get rid of the baggage, don’t be afraid to reach out to a good Christian counselor or Pastor who is trained to help you renew your mind.
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