Motivational speaker Wayne Dyer said that a lot of people drag a big bag of muck around with them everywhere they go. It is the rotted accumulation of all the disappointment, frustration, unfair things, and loss that they have experienced in their lives. Sometimes it even holds difficulties faced by past generations.
So, they walk around with their bag and once in a while they take out a handful and kind of smear it on themselves so people can see how awful events have been for them. Some people won’t even leave the house without some muck on their faces. It is evidence of their hardships—and they are all about reminding others about their hardships.
The truth is we all have our bag of muck. And although we all wear it from time to time, some people just are more into it than others. Not only is the bag heavy, it saps our energy and most damagingly, it focuses us on the past instead of on the future—it keeps us looking back, complaining about our circumstances.
Here is what the Bible says about it in Exodus 14, “Why do the people cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.” We are to stop complaining and keep moving! Yes. Being stuck between the advancing Egyptian army and the Red Sea is no laughing matter. Even their newly found freedom promised difficulties. That’s a big bag of muck to be sure. But God requires us to go forward—only then do we get to reach the promised land that he has for each of us.
Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.” We are not to be sucked into the habit of sorrow and self pity. We are to drop the bag, quit feeding the beast of regret and move, under the awesome power that God gave us, to walk into everyday with strength and love. He wants us to plow ahead. Always.
Nothing is as clear as the warning given to Lot’s family when told to leave a city of sin in Genesis 9. “Do not look back,” the angel told them. Yet Lot’s wife did look back and stands to this day, rooted to that very spot, a pillar of bitter salt. Sound like anyone you know? Someone who just stopped their life—stuck in the same situation because life wasn’t fair. OK. Life isn’t fair but Scripture tells us that difficulty is meted out equally to the just and unjust alike. Life is a training ground.
Like in the Army, where difficult maneuvers have to be completed in order to pass training. If they can’t get over the wall the first time, they have to do it over and over and over until they make it. In our lives as well, there are difficulties we have to get past. Things to accomplish. God did not put us here to sit on the sofa and complain, you can do that, but it will never move you forward.
Today is Easter, a time of renewal. God can change everything, but requires us to move into the future with Him, to bathe in the light of His promises, stepping out of the shadows of the past. Doors open. Things change. The trick is to stop ruining the present with yesterday’s regrets and hurts. It is time to leave the bag of muck out for the trash man.
Blessings,
Nancy
Great article and one I think everyone can identify with . I think of my father and how, as he r=grew older, his bag of muck grew and grew. so sad. I think it helped me not have the bag of muck after seeing how it dragged him down in his later years.. thank you for writing such a relevant article.