Sixteen hours. That’s how long our road trip would take, sixteen hours packed into one vehicle with seven people and way too many bags. We carefully loaded the trunk, trying to fit every item in. But when it came down to my last bag, it didn’t look like there was any more space.
The driver assured me it would fit in the trunk, but I decided to hold it in my lap instead. “It’s not that big,” I told myself. Big mistake. A few hours later, as we stopped for a break, I realized just how uncomfortable that little bag had become. Every time I tried to get out of the van, it was in the way. My shoulders were sore, my legs were cramped, and I couldn’t rest. Finally, I gave in. I added the bag to the ones in the trunk, and the relief I felt was instant. My lap was free, my body could rest, and I thought, “Why didn’t I do that sooner?”
Maybe you’ve carried some extra baggage too, not in your hands, but in your heart. Worries, responsibilities, guilt, or fear all sit heavy, making the journey harder than it has to be. God knows how much that extra baggage can weigh us down. That’s why He reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV):
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.
There’s a three-letter word in that verse that makes all the difference – all. Not some of your cares, not most of your cares, but all of them. That includes your personal cares; family cares; cares for the present and the future. And don’t forget cares about your job, your children, your health, your finances, and your church. Every single care that burdens your heart belongs in God’s hands, not your lap.
Pray about your cares. Tell God what’s weighing on you. Then, like I did with that bag, let it go. Once you place it in His care, take your hands off it. You’ll soon discover that traveling through life’s journey gets a whole lot easier when you stop trying to carry what only God can handle.
Prayer:
Lord, we need Your help. We’re so prone to hold on, to try to fix everything ourselves. But You never meant for us to carry the weight of our cares. Help us to remember that You care deeply for us, and that we can lay every burden at Your feet. Teach us to let go of it all and trust You with the outcome. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What extra baggage have you been holding onto lately?
- What makes it hard for you to let go and trust God fully?
- How can you practice casting all your cares on Him this week?