“God, as people infected with sinful desires, we know we often choose to stir up bad attributes in and out of our lives. Show us how to avoid these bad behaviors and replace them with more of Your own qualities. Allow us to show others what Jesus Christ looks like, and how to effectively seek His GUIDANCE AND HELP with our baggage. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!”
Let’s read our text again together…
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
(Story of Junior high fight on basketball court).
I will tell you the story of a young 7th grader who was on the 7th grade varsity basketball team.
They were practicing one afternoon. While going for rebound, a young man thought the other guy pushed him too hard, so he turned around and swung wildly at him with a closed fist. Luckily, he did not connect. But here is what happened next…
The Coach simply walked over to the boys and announced that the boy who took the swing was off the team. He was instructed to go to the locker room, get dressed, and not come back.
Well, that boy was crushed. At the time, sports was his identity. He couldn’t believe he was never to play again. So, he waited to talk with the coach privately after practice.
Through some tears, he asked the coach what he could do to get back on the team. The coach said this, “You must promise me you will never fight again.”
That young man made that promise that night. And to this day, I can tell you that young man has never engaged in another fight.
That moment CHANGED his life. That moment turned him from an angry young man, who thought the world owed him because he came from a poor family with alcoholic parents.
That young man was me.
Far too many people walk around carrying heavy baggage from years of mistakes, hurt, pain, bad choices, just like I did as a young man. In Jesus, there is no condemnation for our past mistakes because we are given the gift of eternal grace … here and now.
It is time to unpack all the worthless weight we are carrying around and learn to live free.
Some of the baggage we carry around with us is bitterness and anger because of past pain and frustration. This can spill over into our relationships and create collateral damage.
We have to just … LET IT GO.
We have to choose forgiveness and repentance in order to be kind, tenderhearted, and loving toward others … TODAY AND EVERY DAY the rest of our lives.
So, today we are going to concentrate on helping us all learn to “let it go”. First, we must…
Know the Issue
Obviously, to let go of an issue, we must first understand WHAT the issue is. In the Ephesians passage we read a few minutes ago, Paul identifies 7 specific things believers need to “GET RID OF.”
They are listed here…
• Bitterness
• Rage
• Anger
• Brawling
• Slander
• Every form of malice
• Unforgiveness
And honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the range of negative emotions, feelings and attitudes we often carry around with us.
So, where do they all come from? Surely, it is not like people just wake up in the morning and decide to be bitter or angry that day.
I’ve never heard anyone say, “I sure hope someone does something awful to me today – just so I can withhold my forgiveness from them!”
And yet, if we are honest about it, there are many of us who silently hold bitterness, anger, and envy in our hearts towards others. So, the FIRST STEP to LET IT GO is identifying what you are carrying around.
Here are a few ideas to help get the identification process started:
• Bring the process to the Lord in prayer and ask that He help to reveal any areas holding you back.
• Bring the process to some trusted friends and ask them to help you identify any obvious areas of trouble or blind spots you may be missing.
• You may need to find a professional counselor to help you identify these issues in your life. It’s unfortunate that there is a stigma against counseling in our culture, when the fact is, the bible is very much for “trusted counselors and advisors” as our first lesson indicated…
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14.
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” Proverbs 19:20.
“Plans are established by seeking advice…” Proverbs 20:18.
What are some other ways you can identify baggage in your life besides knowing the issue?
It may seem obvious, but how about…
Bring It Into the Light
Once you’ve identified areas of baggage, the next obvious step is to do something about it – to get rid of it … to let it go.
But thanks be to God, HIS plan for you is much bigger than just letting it go and being done with it. He’s interested in HEALING, RESTORING, and SEEING you walk in freedom.
Listen to these words from 1 John in our third lesson…
“…if we walk in the light … we have fellowship with one another … the blood of Jesus … purifies us from all sin … if we confess our sins, He … will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:6-9
In the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul says that you have been rescued from the “dominion of darkness” – that you and I “share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light”. (Colossians 1:12-13)
Things like bitterness, anger, malice, slander, unforgiveness are characteristics of the worldly system, but are never found in the kingdom of light.
As believers, it is so important for us to regularly evaluate ourselves and consider the “fruit” we are producing. When we identify and recognize ROTTEN FRUIT OR BAGGAGE, we need to bring it into the light.
We need to confess and ask forgiveness, or in some cases, EXTEND forgiveness to others.
And God, who is faithful and just, forgives and purifies us.
I know this all sounds amazing and wonderful. Afterall, who doesn’t want to walk in the freedom of the light, unhindered by excess baggage?
So, here’s the thing … what do you do when the baggage is TOO BIG, too HEAVY, too DIFFICULT to work through? I believe the answer is to simply…
Trust the Process
The process of letting go can be a long and difficult one. The process of identification can take significantly longer than you think it should.
The process of coming into the light might not be a simple HOP-SKIP-AND-JUMP from one place to another. There may be times when the baggage feels too heavy.
At that time, we need to always remind ourselves; with God all things are possible, and we must be willing to trust the process.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 says as clear as day, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.” And that process is a lifelong one.
Not a day. Not a week. Not a 3-month internship at your church or summer camp. Nor is it a 20-year journey in local church leadership.
It is not ANY one of those things – it’s all of them. The process of sanctification is ALL of life, and God uses all kinds of situations and circumstances to constantly conform us into the image of His Son.
With this in mind, let me ask you a question. Do you trust Him? Right now, this morning … do you trust Him?
Do you trust that He has a plan and a purpose for your life? That He will work it ALL together for HIS good?
That there may be situations the enemy meant for evil, and yet God will use these for His good in your life?
If the answer is yes, then let go of the baggage and get moving. Today is as good a day as any to say goodbye to the anger and bitterness and disappointment and frustration you have been holding onto.
It’s a good day to … LET IT ALL GO.
As we wrap up today, I want to draw your attention back to the words of Jesus in John chapter 10. This is Jesus teaching His disciples…
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Some translations say, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
The enemy (Satan) wants to steal, kill, and destroy you.
One of the ways he can do this is by weighing you down with so much trouble and baggage through your life that you simply cannot move forward.
But Jesus has come that we might experience abundant and full life in the light of the kingdom. The author of Hebrews says…
“… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus … for the joy set before Him He endured the cross … consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:1-3
Do you trust Him?
Do you trust He has a plan and a purpose for your life? That He will work it all together for good?
Do you trust that there may be situations that the enemy meant for evil, that God will use for His good in your life?
Throw off the baggage weighing you down. Run the race of freedom. Live in the light.
And let’s pray together now as we all learn to do these things. Amen