Whenever you get ready to board a plane and fly to a new destination, you typically check baggage. Well, those of us who fly Southwest still check baggage. The rest of you probably try to carry on as much as possible. Anyway, we lighten our load before we head through security and to our gate. It makes traveling easier and more convenient. It frees us.

We have to do the same when seeking a deeper relationship with God. Two days ago, I was providing advice to a co-worker who was in the midst of a difficult situation with another colleague. She was trying to figure out how to handle an upcoming meeting that was going to be critical to the long-term success of the project she was working on, and the relationship with the project leader was on the rocks and sinking fast. My advice was for her to wipe the slate clean, to press reset and enter into the meeting with no biases, no hurt feelings or grudges, no baggage. As soon as the words spilled from my mouth, I knew I needed to hear them as well for an entirely different purpose.

We all have baggage. Some of it is heaped upon us by other people in our life, and some we pick up on our own. Both kinds of baggage are equally damaging when we try to make progress toward God.

The small Baptist church I attended growing up was fundamental, legalistic and oppressive. It was an overly strict, suffocating church experience. Well intentioned. Missed the mark horribly.  There was a business meeting where two of the deacons spent 40 minutes arguing over whether we should spend some of the church’s budget to pave the parking lot. One contended that we have been fine for the last 40 years without a paved lot, to which the other deacon pointed out that 40 years ago we didn’t have indoor plumbing in the church and everyone should agree we need it. That was really and truly the most important issue to be solved, according to church leadership.

In another instance, we had a pastor who resigned because the church refused to let him get a second job, despite the fact that he needed the supplemental income. I think he was going to do something overly taxing and distracting like paint houses in his spare time. And my least favorite. We had a youth pastor who was reprimanded and chastised after he brought an African-American teen to church with him. The reasoning was that he didn’t really know the kid, and the kid could have been dangerous.

My point is one I’ve brought up before. Institutions will let you down. They will create baggage. It’s no wonder that I encounter more and more people who tell me they are spiritual but aren’t interested in being a part of a church family. They claim to believe in God, but are so burned and jaded by church as an institution that they declare organized religion  a dead practice and not for them. Organized religion would be wise to listen closely to those complaints and adjust accordingly. There are endless opportunities to get Christians back engaged and together in community, helping each other heal. Sometimes it feels like the obstacles preventing more of that are endless as well. And I’m not talking about packing the seats on Sunday morning. Attendance comes up dramatically short as a measurement of what I’m describing.  But this isn’t a post about what makes a powerful church experience and what does not. So, I’ll save a deeper discussion on that for later.

As I was growing up, my mother would drag me to church. I would go, sometimes willingly and sometimes kicking and screaming. Meanwhile, my dad would be in the garage or mowing the back lawn or hunting. I’ve never asked him why he didn’t go with us. To this day, we’ve never had a conversation about God, salvation, relationships, any of that. I’ve wanted to, but we’ve never really had that type of relationship. Don’t get me wrong, my father would do pretty much anything to help me and Calie and the kids. He’s always been there when I needed him. But talking about feelings and deep philosophical issues has never been on our agenda. So, I’m not sure what his baggage is. I believe that he believes in God, but something about the church turned him off a long time ago. And it’s been heavy enough to weigh on him for a very long time. Bags just get heavier. You know this if you’ve traveled recently. The suitcase that zipped just fine on your way there, won’t even get close when you try to pack up to head home. It’s a great mystery, like why I never seem to have a matching pair of socks after doing laundry.

I’ve noticed in my journey that baggage has really been holding me back. I should be a more experienced traveler and hand over my bags at the gate. Even better, when I arrive at my next destination, I should leave them on the carousel to circle endlessly, waiting on me to return.

Once you check your spiritual baggage, there’s no need to claim it again. That’s the beauty.