Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 NIV
For the month of June, we have been reflecting in our Sunday services on the issue of baggage in our lives, emotional or spiritual baggage that we carry around. That weighs us down. That keeps us from having peace in our lives and in our relationships. I was reading in the Upper Room Daily Devotions this past week that fit perfectly with our theme.
It was written about a businessman who travelled frequently, mainly going to little towns on small propeller planes. He said that a few times, he had the stressful experience, while waiting on the plane to depart, of seeing luggage being taken off the plane. Including his! There was too much weight on the flight. There was nothing he could do about it. The cabin doors were closed and locked. He would be flying to his destination and his luggage would not. But then he came to his senses. He was being over-focused on himself. It was the best thing to do for the safety of the passengers. So why should he be so upset.
The devotion continues: “We sometimes want to hold on to our baggage, as if we can control the burdens, worries, and hurts that life brings our way…Psalm 55 encourages us to unload the burdens that weigh down our spirit and strength because they compromise our ability to effectively navigate life and God’s will for us. Regardless of our circumstances, God is with us and wants to handle the baggage that weighs us down. God wants to take on our cares so that we can live fully for God, serving God’s good purposes.” Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.