I load up all of my emotions and give them to Jesus.
Sometimes I think I'm rid of them but end up taking them back, unpacking them
and wearing them all over again.
I think, for the most part, it's a process. I wish I
could always pack them up, give them to Jesus and never see them again. I
love those rare times when they are gone for good, but that's just not what
real life looks like because I'm human.
It's pretty wonderful how Jesus is always willing to
carry my baggage. He lovingly takes it from me, even when it's the same stuff
over and over. I never sense frustration or judgment. That's because He truly
knows what it's like to live in our world.
While I’m not an outwardly emotional person, I am a thinker
which can lead me through many thoughts and emotions that can easily drain the
life out of me. What can I do to consistently give Jesus my emotional baggage,
but also allow Him to change what my baggage looks like?
Be aware of what I'm carrying. I consider myself to
be a "strong" person and I tend to bear burdens that Jesus didn't
intend for me to carry – for myself or for others. It's important for me to
evaluate what I'm carrying because I can easily find myself under a heaping
load, trying to carry it all by myself.
I can’t carry all
these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! Numbers 11:14
This scripture is when Moses was leading the people
out of Egypt. He was weary from being the sole person in charge. His awareness
of carrying the overwhelming load led to his vocalization to God for help. In
that instant, God gave Him the wisdom to deal with the situation and relief
came.
It is the same for me...when I finally
see I’m carrying too much and ask God for help, He provides some form of an
answer that brings relief. Routinely checking myself can save me a lot of wasted energy.
Hand it all over. The moment I recognize I'm
dealing with emotions that only Jesus can touch or heal, I must surrender them
to Him. It’s a place of total submission – no longer wanting to control and
knowing I truly can’t control.
Therefore humble
yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, cast
all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. I Peter 6:7
I love it when I see something I have never seen
before. I’ve quoted the second part of this verse many times but what an impact
the first has. Humbling myself under the mighty hand of God comes before
casting all my cares on Him.
Why is that? Because that’s an act of surrender and
it’s the only way I can fully surrender my cares. An amazing thing happens when
I do this, I feel a peace and a lightness that allows me to rest in Him.
Realize I don't have to take it back, or at least not
all of it. I don’t always see this when it’s happening because it
usually happens over time, piece by piece I take back all of the junk. For me,
this occurs in the mental realm and I’m learning to not only sift through my
thoughts/emotions but also refuse the ones I identify as untruths.
For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and
being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. II Corinthians 10:4-6
God has given us weapons of
warfare directly connected to our thoughts and this is confirmation that many
of the biggest battles are within the mind. The only way to counter the attacks
of lies from the enemy and self is to rely on God’s word – the absolute truth
that breathes life and hope into weary despair.
I’m not always successful
when it comes to using scripture to fight the mental battle of emotions, but
when I do, there’s a shift in my spirit and my perspective becomes clearer. I
begin to see things for what they truly are and stop holding on to baggage that
just isn’t true or healthy – this is when I see the transformation take place
and Jesus helps me redefine what I allow to stay.
Yes. Jesus is my emotional bellhop [and so much more]. If I left it at bellhop, what kind of relationship would that be? "Here, take my baggage. I'll tip you for a good job done but give it back to me in the same condition you found it."
No. If I let Him, Jesus not only takes my baggage, but He helps me to release what I'm not meant to carry, to discard the things that hold me down and He sets me free from bondage. In Him, I find true freedom – freedom to live and be who He has called me to be.
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 yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
