Packing, unpacking, and a forgotten suitcase

I was in Ukraine, settling into my apartment in Kyiv which, oddly enough, had a closet loaded with summer dresses. Admiring the sundresses, I realized I didn't pack a dress for Jenya's wedding, come to think of it, I didn't pack... at all. No toothbrush?! No food?! I scrambled for a plan to wash my only clothes at night in the lake, but would they dry by morning? And then... I woke up. Thank God.

Yeah, I might just be a tad bit stressed about Ukraine. Shocking I know.

Let's just say leading drama has created some drama in my personal life. I've been crazy trying to get everything together, and so a few vital things were pushed to the back burner. like talking to God and reading His Word, you know, just those little things.

Bad idea.

A while back I blogged about letting go of things I grasp (Phil. 2). Well, letting go is kinda like unpacking a suitcase. Everything I thought I needed for the trip was actually weighing me down.

Well here's part two: God needs to pack the suitcase back up. You can't show up in a foreign country for two months with an empty suitcase! After Paul points out our need to let go of what we grasp just as Jesus did, he says in chapter four of Philippeans, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me —practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

He starts with the unpacking element- take anxiety out of the suitcase! But Paul doesn't stop there! We're to unpack to God, and He will pack our suitcase with peace! Still have room in the suitcase? Then fill it with true things, honorable things, just things, things that are pure and lovely, commendable, excellent, praise-worthy things!

I was "letting go" of my fear and anxiety, but without anything to replace them, they just kept jumping back in! Like the Puritans (and Ben Stuart) said, "how do you dislodge a "beautiful" thing from the human heart? Replace it with a more beautiful thing." Amen!

So I cast my cares on the Lord, and He corrects the issues of my heart, and insures the completion of His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Ben Stuart has an excellent podcast on this titled, Living in Peace, check it out!

[What helped me come to this revelation? Spending the morning with this...

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