The Suitcase

Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 6:25-27, 31-34

“Get in there!” said Andrea, shoving her beach blanket into her suitcase. “Are you still packing?” asked her older brother, Mark. “We’re leaving in ten minutes! Here, let me help you.” He jumped on the lid of the suitcase, holding it in place while Andrea moved the zipper around the edges.

Dad appeared at the door. “I’ll take your suitcase to the car,” he said, picking it up. “Wow! Why is it so heavy?”

“Because she’s taking half the things in her room!” said Mark.

“Well, they’re important,” Andrea said. “I need my hat, my beach blanket, and three swimsuits in case I can’t decide which one to wear. I need my sailboat to play with in the ocean, and I can’t build sand castles without my pail and shovel. If it rains, I’ll have my raincoat, my boots, and my umbrella. I also packed a puzzle, some games, and bedtime books. And my teddy bear in case I can’t fall asleep.”

“I think you should leave some things behind,” said Dad.

“But what if I need something and don’t have it?”

“Andrea, do you think your suitcase might be heavy because something else is weighing it down?” asked Dad.

“What do you mean?” asked Andrea.

“Well, just like you packed too many things in your suitcase, you can also pack too many worries in your head—and they can make life very heavy.”

“I was planning ahead for a good vacation,” said Andrea.

“It’s good to be prepared, but there’s a difference between planning ahead and trying to control anything that could happen. That’s what worrying really is—being afraid of something you can’t control. Having a heavy suitcase could mean your life is heavy with worries, and both take the joy out of the journey. When you unpack your worries, your suitcase will probably be lighter too.”

“But how do I unpack my worries?” asked Andrea.

“By surrendering them to Jesus. Trust Him to take care of you and let Him carry the weight of your worries—especially if they’re about things you can’t control.” Dad unzipped Andrea’s suitcase. “Why don’t you take a moment to pray about some of your worries now? Then we can lighten up that suitcase and start our vacation!” – Elena Dee

How About You?

Do you feel heavy with worry? Are you afraid of things you can’t control? Worries can weigh you down like a heavy suitcase, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Jesus wants to carry your worries for you. Remember that He died to save you and promises to always take care of you. Trust Him with the things you can’t control.

Today’s Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you. (ERV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Give your worries to Jesus