Lugging my suitcase

There is a new song out by contemporary Christian artist, Dara Maclean, titled, "Suitcases."  The lyrics to this song have been weighing heavy on my heart and mind this past week.  When I sat down to have my devotion this morning, it was by
one of my faves, Priscilla Shirer.  This woman blesses the stuffin' out of me!  Guess what the title was?  "Ditch the Baggage."  By this point I'm getting this picture in my mind of God standing on his throne, yes, standing, not sitting, looking down on me, hands cupped around his mouth, yelling, "Jennifer, are you starting to get it? I'm talking to you!"  I've said before that if I only had the patience with my family that God has with me.

Priscilla's devotion excerpt was from her book, He Speaks to Me.  She talks about running track in high school and how when warming up, she would wear her sweats and tennis shoes to make sure her muscles were warmed up for the race.  But when it came time to run for the prize, she took off the sweats and put on her lightweight shoes called spikes.  She said, "We got rid of the excess baggage because we wanted to win the races."    She mentions that as believers, Satan knows he cannot destroy us so he seeks to distract us.  He knows we are safe for eternity, so he tries to make sure we aren't any good to the kingdom of God while we are here on earth.  We can either choose to "warm up" with our baggage weighing us down or we can get rid of the suitcases and run for the prize!  2 Corinthians 7:1 from the Message puts it this way, "Make a clean break with everything that...distracts us."  Priscilla then reminds us that "Coach Paul, however, cheers you on from the sidelines:  'Run in such a way to win the prize.'' (I Corinthians 9:24).

Listen to the story behind Dara's song, Suitcases.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bwHTtbBj14&feature=relmfu

My favorite lyrics in her song are:

• "How can you move when they're weighing you down?"
• "You can't run when you're holding suitcases."
• "Can you imagine what it's like to be free?  Well, send those bags packing, they're not what you need.  Abandon your troubles on the side of the street."

What are loaded in your suitcases?  What do your suitcases represent for you?  My suitcases are most definitely my depression and anxiety.  I've been so frustrated the past few weeks with multiple anxiety attacks.  They weigh me down, they slow me down, the DISTRACT me.  I definitely can't run the race of everyday life with them hanging around.  They are accomplishing just what Satan wants them to. I take half of my little peach pill to get the attack under control and then I get tired.  It is a vicious cycle and it it NOT from God.  Satan has control over this aspect of my life right now.  I am determined to pray each day for God to take away my suitcase of anxiety.  To help me pack that bag for the day and lay it on the side of the street.  Notice I said to pack my bag for the day.  It will be a daily battle for me as it will likely be for you too.  I'm tired of carrying this anxiety baggage around.  It utterly wears me out.

Listen to Dara's song, and join me in laying down your suitcase today, and then try again tomorrow.  Be prepared to pick it back up, (I know I will mine) but then ask God to help you put it back down.  Until next time, hang in there and hold on to Jesus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4cFZcSivZI&feature=relmfu