Suitcases

Jesus woke me up early this morning. I grumbled. I wanted to sleep more, because I've been doing very little of that lately. We compromised finally. I settled on asking Him what it was He wanted to say but refusing to budge in bed. 

I had a flash back of years ago, when I was in High school. I remembered one time when Rick (he used to be my high school pastor) walked down the aisle to speak like he did each week. Except for one thing- he was juggling a large amount of suitcases. Some he carried. Some were chained to him & the way in which he walked gave you the feeling that he had gotten so used to living with the bulk & weight of them attached that he didn't even remember they existed. He didn't offer an explanation. He just let the image sink in. Then he began his talk as usual. Towards the end, it began to tie into his message. If each suitcase were an issue we've had and have, some which we've shoved aside for so long that we've forgotten they exist, we would get so weighed down. Maybe without even realizing it. Maybe with all these suitcases building up, we'd begin juggling them all without really thinking about it & suddenly that would take over & we'd be doing more juggling than anything else.
And just maybe when Jesus calls us very specifically to run-either to Him, or to a new place & season- we'd find we've been so weighed down by the accumulation of suitcases that we can't. And we continue to remain weighed down & chained because we know freedom would Involve unpacking the dirty laundry we've shoved away before others. We don't like the possibility of being that open & raw. But is it worth where we're at? 

I don't want that to be me. Jesus, help me to see all I need to put down, let go of, unpack, and empty out so that I can freely run like crazy when you call me to!