Two Backpacks

     Two people went on a hike. They both had backpacks. The girl had a small backpack with essentials. The boy had a large backpack with everything they might possibly need. Talk about being prepared! The only problem was he could hardly lift his! Having to lug this heavy pack around slowed them down. The girl told him to leave it, but there was no way he would. Later on there was an accident and he fell off a cliff into the lake below. The girl looked down and all she could see was a big backpack floating in the water. The heavy weight was keeping the boy under. She dove in, pack and all, and was able to get his head above water and pull him to land. In the end, he finally let go of all those things they might need!

    I heard this story recently, and while I doubt it's true, I think it's a perfect object lesson. I can't get the picture of that heavy backpack out of my mind—slowing them down on the track and holding the boy under the water.

    There are many
lessons we can learn from this story. But here are two.

    Hebrews 12:1-2 says,…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus…

    The Christian life is like a race or a hike. We need to travel light! There are many things that can weigh us down and make our growth much more slow than necessary. 

Unbelief and wanting to see before we will trust
Fear, worry and all the what ifs

Covetousness, greed and attachment to things

Envy and jealousy

Sin and guilt from the past (if it's been dealt with and forgiven, it doesn't need to be a weight)

Pride and the fear of what people will think

Friends that are a negative influence

Impatience

etc.

    What is hindering your spiritual growth? What is stopping you from taking the next step? What are you not willing to give up?

Here are some things that should be in your backpack!

Faith, Prayer, Contentment, Thankfulness, Patience, Love for God and others, Humility, Peace, Trust, Joy, Self control etc.

    The Bible also says in Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

    Are you bringing all the things that burden you to the Lord in prayer?

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!