One of the things often anticipated upon retirement is
travel. I enjoy going to visit new
places but I am not always crazy about the travel. I traveled a lot in my ministry. I once served in a ministry position with responsibility
for 50 churches scattered over 6 counties.
Every Sunday I would drive to a different church. One Sunday was in 5 different churches. I also led and participated in various
mission trips to many states as well as Disaster Relief mission trips to states
recovering from hurricanes, tornadoes or floods.
Additionally I led and participated in numerous overseas mission trips traversing
five of the seven continents. During one
4 week stretch I traveled over 15,000 miles covering 8 different states and 3
different countries. I was much younger,
more energetic and apparently less wise in those days.
Although I have flown a great deal, I am not a big fan. Strapping into a metal tube filled with
explosive liquid is still not logical in my mind for both physical and spiritual
reasons. I just don’t think something
that big and heavy should be that far off the ground and on a spiritual note,
God says, “Lo, I will be with you always.”; which can be interpreted as, “Hey,
you are on your own when you are up there!” I also hate all the security measures one has
to go through before boarding the airplane.
Every time I fly my anger toward Osama Bin Laden is rekindled. So all of this is to say that over the years I
have learned that it is best to pack less and travel light. Before every trip I try to think of the
essentials. What do I really need? What can
I do without? How can I make the travel
less burdensome and more enjoyable?
Several years ago I realized that the same thinking will
improve my journey through life. What do I really need? What can I do without? How can I make the
travel less burdensome and more enjoyable?
So often we travel through life loaded down with burdens that rob us of
the joy of the journey. Jesus teaches us
to lighten the load in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For
my burden is easy and my load is light.”
As I became more familiar with Jesus I began to see and truly
learn from Him that He knew how to travel light. He never was burdened by the physical and
emotional baggage that often robs us of the daily joy of life. I began to look at the baggage many of us carry
through life and the way that Jesus teaches us to discard those heavy burdens. Perhaps, some of the following luggage has
held you back long enough.
Selfish Ego and Greed
can be a huge suitcase that becomes increasingly heavy to carry everywhere you
go. We cannot fully enjoy everyday
pleasures of life when we are carrying a large ego, thinking primarily of
ourselves. Jesus tells us to learn from
him in Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny
himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” The cross of self-denial is a much
lighter load for the day’s journey. When
we put serving God and others above our ego and our personal desires then life
can truly become easier and more joyful.
Anger seems to be
a growing piece of luggage that steals joy.
Road rage and impatience not only can take away daily joy but anger can ruin
and shorten one’s journey in life in many ways.
Anger is not an emotion we can avoid; in fact it can be used in a
positive way. For example, abortion,
child and spousal abuse anger me so I try to pack that anger in a lightweight bag
used to battle those evils. Ephesians 4:26
tells us to, “Be angry and sin not” implying that anger is not necessarily
wrong or destructive but the way we unpack our anger is the key in whether it
becomes helpful or a burden. Holding on
to anger is like dragging a large suitcase with one wheel that has fallen
off. It even affects prayer and worship
as Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at
the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your gift there in front of the altar.
First, go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your
gift.” Forgive and let it go!
Gossip, Negative Thoughts/Words,
Worry & Anxiety can also be combined or carried individually as
cumbersome baggage that can be left behind for a more enjoyable and joyful
journey. We are given several scriptural
remedies that can be used to discard these burdens.
·
Proverbs 26:20, “Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.”
·
I Thessalonians 5:16, “Be joyful always.” This
short verse is a command & not a suggestion!
·
Philippians 4:6-8, “Whatever is true, noble, right,
pure, lovely, admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on
those things.” Don’t pack
anything that’s not positive!
·
Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.” Prayer is easier to carry.
·
Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Enjoy today and leave tomorrow to God!
Some would say that I am getting too long-winded and I should
leave that ‘windbag’ at home but there’s another type of luggage I want to
suggest leaving behind and it is Guilt & Shame. Some have done things that continue to trouble
us or perhaps someone did something to us in the past and it lingers to weigh
us down each day. Scripture reminds us
that God is always in the forgiving business.
1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The burden of shame is removed in Romans
8:1, “Therefore,
there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus.” So no matter what you have done or
what has been done to you leave the heavy luggage of guilt and shame with God
as well as any other baggage that is weighing you down, it truly is the best way
to travel. I hope you enjoy the rest of
your journey!
