Letting Go of the Baggage

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." ~Ephesians 2:10

God has a ton in store for our lives. He has great things waiting for you to accomplish. I know I can't wait to see what he does with my life in the future. This verse in Ephesians just reminds me how much is in store.

Before we were even born, God knew what he wanted us to do.

God planted a seed in our heart, to grow whenever we are ready for it.

To be ready to do work for God's kingdom means we have to be willing to give absolutely everything we have to God. Including all the baggage that we have carried with us for months or years.

Yesterday, I read a devotion about this, and today our pastor preached about Acts 9:1-19, so I felt the need to share my thoughts about it. It's the story of Saul/Paul starting his new life in Christ. Saul had been a persecutor of Christians. He was a Jew and grew up thinking it was his duty to get rid of Christians. That's just how he was raised. He was pursuing the Christians out of Jerusalem all the way to Damascus, which was 150 miles from Jerusalem! He really wanted the Christians dead.  As he neared Damascus, he fell to the ground as Jesus spoke to him, and he told him to go to the city. When Saul got up, he was blind for three days. He didn't eat or drink. Then the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias and told him to go to Saul (who was praying at the time) and place his hands on him.

I wish I had seen Ananias' reaction to that command from God. Ananias knew Saul's reputation. He knew that Saul hated Christians and wanted them dead. Saul's name had a lot of baggage attached to it. If I were Ananias, I would've argued with God for quite a while before stepping foot in that house. God told Ananias that Saul is his "chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel." Ananias knew how much baggage Saul had, but obeyed the Lord and went and placed his hands on Saul. Saul was given back his sight, baptized, and regained his strength.

Then, as the rest of the New Testament goes to show, Saul changes his name to Paul and spends the rest of his life spreading the gospel and teaching others about Christianity. He completely changed. He let go of all the baggage that was weighing him down. Imagine how bad he must have felt when he experienced Jesus for the first time, after murdering Christians. He hadn't just been murdering random people, he had been murdering Jesus, who was in those people. But you know what? God used him anyway. God had him become one of the most important missionaries ever lived, reaching so many people and being an example of Christ.

This story teaches us that God can use you, no matter what you have done. No matter what circumstances you have gone through. I know I have messed up so many times, but I know that if I confess to God and let it go, he will use me in miraculous ways to spread his word. Your past will never disqualify you from God using you.

So what are some things that you have been holding on to from your past? Do you not talk to a sibling or parent? Do you still have a grudge against a mean kid from high school? Do you maybe, just maybe have a grudge against God for something unspoken?

I know it is hard to let go of the anger, hurt, resentment, jealousy, and devastation, but following God is so much more fulfilling that holding on to all those feelings. So just give whatever you have to God, and he will use you in amazing ways! I'm praying for you, that you may let go of whatever is weighing you down, so God can use you in incredible ways!