Isaiah 57:18-19, "I have seen how they acted, but I will heal them. I will lead them and help them, and I will comfort those who mourn. I offer peace to all, both near and far!"

Think

Divorce. Addiction. Abuse. Dysfunction. Let's face it. We live in a broken world. Because of that brokenness, we all carry baggage around with us. Wherever we come from and whatever we have experienced, there are things from our past that we haul around in the present. And no matter how much we try to cover up or hide that baggage from others, it is still there, weighing us down and causing us to miss out on so much. But we were never meant to carry all the baggage! God doesn't want you to live life weighed down by baggage. He wants you to experience freedom from the damaging effects of your past. How do you experience that freedom? First, acknowledge that you have baggage, and then admit that without God, you cannot deal with it. Think about your past for just a minute. What bags are you carrying around that are keeping you from living a life of freedom? Isn't it time to hand them over to God and let Him deal with them?

Act

Personalize today's verse! Re-read Isaiah 57: 18-19 and replace every "them," "those," and "all" with your own name. And remember that God sees you, loves you, and wants to give you peace and freedom in life!

Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I know that You have a life of freedom in store for me. Help me to live that life by first admitting to the baggage I carry around and then handing over control to You. Thank You in advance for what this teaching, this new series, and this week's devotionals will do as I give up control to You and experience the life You have in store for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.