2 Corinthians 5: 14 - 17 NKJV
I have a good pretty decent fear of heights. therefore, this fear of heights translates into a fear of flying. Usually this doesn't affect the way in which I live my life, although it does provide me with limitations. On the one hand, my travels are limited to ground excursions. I have from time to time put my life in my hands and flown on a airplane, but not too often. The few times which I have flown have been but short local hops which didn't last too long. In such cases, little baggage is required. However, I have heard the horror stories of those airline travelers whose own baggage has been held hostage by one airline or another. At one time it was far too common to have one peice of baggage follow you, while another somehow lands 2,000 miles away. Thankfully the airlines have seemingly taken steps to avoid the lost baggage issue. I just wish we ourselves had followed their lead. The different type of baggage which I'm speaking of is that internal baggage which we all may inadvertently carry along with us. From past relationships to current bad feelings, it seems that some of us have enough internal baggage to choke a horse. Now, it is one thing for someone to face the challanges of dealing with their own baggage on their own, but a totally different situation when they attach their baggage to those around them. Suddenly, all of their thoughts, feelings and internal conflicts somehow belong to everyone else. Now, there's no problem with people seeking help to deal with baggage, but yet another when they attach their own feelings and inadequacies to their relationships with others. I know, you'd think that most people are smart enough not to do that, but I've seen it more often than I care to admit. Not only that, I've often allowed my own baggage to cloud my relationships with those around me. In his letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul indeed warned us to not view those around us in the flesh, but as a new creation in Christ Jesus.
27“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am fgentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11: 27 - 30 NKJV
For the purpose of conversation, I will refer to that internal baggage which we all carry not as baggage...but as burdens. Indeed, this is a far better description of our own...burdens. Jesus Himself, in Matthew 11, tells us to lay aside such burdens. Not only that, but we are to take that yolk of Christ Himself upon us. Now, what burdens do you think that Jesus carried? Are His burdens less than ours? Indeed, Jesus invites us to take and carry His burden as His burden is light. It is my belief that Jesus would not offer us something which was bad for us. Indeed, when we cast our cares, worries and burdens upon Christ, what is there left to attach to others? We not only relieve ourselves of those things which choke us, but in the end we release our own burdens unto Christ Jesus. In the end, it's not as hard as you might think. For if we indeed live today as Jesus as Paul tells us in Galations, then all we need do is trust that He will release us from those burdens which...burden us {Galations 2:20}. That which we once carried within us, is now shouldered by Christ. In its place, we have the easy burden of Jesus Himself. For myself, I would rather shoulder that yolk of Jesus than anything which this world offers.
6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5: 6 - 7 NKJV
~Scott~
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