I hate unpacking. I’ve been known to let a suitcase remain untouched (with the exception of essential items) for at least a week following a trip. The unpacking process, to me, is draining and time consuming.

It’s amazing what we carry. It seems nearly impossible for me to return home with the exact same things I left with. I almost always have MORE than what I left home with. Sometimes that’s my fault. Sometimes it’s because of who or what I’ve come in contact with.

We all carry stuff. Whether we know it or not, we all have baggage. Part of the process has forced me to examine and unpack that baggage. I recently wrote about feeling exposed, based off of a conversation I had with my best friend. Lucky for me (slight sarcasm), that same best friend and I had another conversation recently that really got me thinking about the baggage I carry.

As I was expressing my feelings and thoughts about a situation, I found myself explaining away (really justifying) why I felt the way I did and how I arrived at this point. Being the best friend that they are, they kindly informed me that all of how I felt and how I arrived at this point (while understandable) was the result of baggage I carry. And then, as they always do, they challenged me to deal with it.

And so I am.

It’s cool and it’s difficult, all at the same time. I have moments where I’m totally grateful for an experience, no matter how horrible it was because it forced me to learn and grow. I also have moments where I struggle with the effects of different experiences. Life is real. Life is hard. Life is real hard. I know that I’ve been overwhelmingly blessed because God has carried me over, through, and around many situations that could have been my breaking point.

As I start this unpacking process, I also feel praise. I’m still here. There were things that were meant for my death, but God used it for my development. I truly owe Him every piece of my life.

Perhaps unpacking isn’t so bad after all.

“…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” -Genesis 50:20