The Cost of Too Much Baggage - Spiritual Nugget 67

Many of us have something we use to carry our personal belongings and our cash—a backpack, fanny pack, purse, money bag, or wallet. If an emergency arises, these become convenient ways to access an item or cash quickly.
 
There is another place where we frequently carry items that eventually become baggage in the soul. Similar to the nutrients stored in the hump(s) of a camel, humans frequently store memories that can survive for prolonged periods—sometimes weeks, months, years, or even decades.
 
There are several categories of baggage we carry which can trigger past and present memories:

1. Supernatural guidance and wisdom apart from God
       a. Positive thinking­—requires focus on self and self-achievement
       b. Secular psychology
       c. Hypnosis (professional or self-induced)
       d. Prolonged study of eastern religion–eventually replaces Almighty God
       e. Fortune Telling/Tarot Cards
       f. Horoscopes
   
   
2. Narcotics--cigarettes, alcohol, psychotropics, opiates, morphine, etc.
   
   
3. Acid Rock music--music that evolved out of the mid-1960s, more commonly identified with the psychedelic subculture
   
   
4. Sexual perversion—multiple sex partners during singleness or while married, can create an unseen cord between two or more people called" soul ties." These entanglements can affect your marriage on numerous levels and, sometimes, cause unresolvable instability. Single people often have difficulty committing to a solid relationship because of past experiences with several individuals.
   
   
5. Pornography--soft porn (certain commercials), hard-porn, sexually explicit movies, topless bars, strip clubs, etc. 
   
   
6. Unforgiveness—misplaced and unreleased anger and hatred toward a person(s). We drag the hurt throughout our life journey like a severely impacted tooth. The longer it is left untreated, the worse the pain becomes. Eventually, the tooth must be extracted. Likewise, when we refuse to forgive, we cut out our experience of true and abiding love. Yes, we may have the right to hate what they did (the action), but forgiveness of the person(s) who inflicted the pain sets us free.

One of the notable stories in the Bible of forgiveness involves a woman accused of adultery by the spiritual legalists. They asked Jesus to condemn her so they could bring evidence to trap Him. Jesus ignored them as He wrote on the ground. When He lifted His head to speak, He made one statement: "Let anyone of you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7-11)

When the dust cleared, there was not one so-called "religious leader" remaining from the whole bunch. The scene had ended. There were no accusers. Jesus forgave the woman but admonished her to avoid repeating future exploits.

Returning to the camel, we are reminded that the camel's humps are storage compartments not for water, but of fatty tissue used as a source of nourishment when food is scarce. When he or she has gone a prolonged time without food, the humps will deflate and droop but quickly return once the camel receives more food.¹

All the negative triggers provide nutrition for diminishing God's purpose for each of us. They are counterfeits of His truth. When we continue to participate in or harbor memories of these activities, we shortchange our opportunities to experience God's power and creativity within us. It is time for us to allow the baggage compartments of our minds to deflate and droop.

We begin by conquering our thoughts and renewing our mind. (Romans 12:2) Habits and memories that are deeply rooted in a long-standing history may not go without kicking and screaming.

You may have to give up your favorite "binge watch" television program or learn to appreciate a different type of music or take a bathroom break when your favorite commercial appears. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

No matter what the stronghold, God can free you from any unwanted baggage costs and restore you to the person He intends you to be. (Revelation 3:20) Acquiring such freedom means that we must have a relentless desire to be free. Freedom of your mind comes by work—not by osmosis.

Camels were created to survive in hot desert climates. Their storage compartments are necessary for their survival. Mankind was created in the "image and likeness" of God without the need for a storage compartment to carry additional baggage.

---

 ¹ Do Camels Store Water in Their Humps?  Britannica