Are You Ready to Let Jesus Set You Free from Your Baggage?

Shannon grew up in a home where love was conditional and words were sharp. Her mother’s constant criticism etched painful beliefs deep into her heart: “You’re lazy…you’re worthless…you’ll never be good enough.” Over time, Shannon began to believe those lies. They shaped her identity, her decisions, and her self-worth.

She tried to drown out the ache by searching for approval in romantic relationships, always hoping someone would finally make her feel valuable. But with every failed relationship, her heart only sank deeper.

It wasn’t until a weekend retreat with her best friend that Shannon encountered the truth that would begin to heal her: she didn’t need to wait for a man—or even herself—to set her free. Jesus had already made a way. She just had to receive it.

That weekend, she stopped striving to fix herself and began surrendering the broken pieces of her heart to the One who loved her enough to carry every burden. And that changed everything.

Jesus Heals What We Can’t

We all carry baggage—wounds from the past, words spoken over us, choices we regret, betrayals we didn’t deserve. Like Shannon, we may spend years waiting for someone to fix it, or trying to manage it all on our own.

But you don’t have to keep carrying what Jesus already came to carry for you. You don’t have to be the one to hold it all together or figure it all out. Jesus came not just to forgive your sins, but to heal your heart. He came to set the captives free—and that includes you.

When we invite Him into our deepest pain, He doesn’t shame us. He lifts it. He restores what’s broken. And He gently whispers the truth: You are not what happened to you. You are Mine.

Let’s walk through what that kind of freedom can look like—real, soul-deep freedom that comes not from trying harder, but from surrendering to the One who already won the battle.

1. Find Peace in His Presence

The first thing Shannon noticed after surrendering her pain to Jesus was peace. Real peace. For the first time, she wasn’t living to please someone else or chasing the next thing to make her feel loved. She could breathe.

Jesus tells us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” This peace isn’t earned—it’s given. It comes when we rest in His love, trusting that He sees us, knows us, and isn’t going anywhere.

2. Make Room for Joy

Baggage takes up space in our hearts. It clutters our thoughts, clouds our vision, and weighs us down. But when we hand that baggage to Jesus, we make room for joy.

Not the fleeting kind that depends on perfect circumstances, but lasting joy—the kind that bubbles up even in the middle of healing. As Psalm 16:11 says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.”

3. Walk Freely into Your God-Given Dreams

When we’re weighed down by shame or pain, it’s hard to imagine doing anything more than surviving. But God didn’t create you just to survive. He gave you gifts, dreams, and a purpose that reflect His heart.

As Jesus heals, He also empowers. You might feel nudged to write again, serve in your church, or finally pursue that thing you laid down because you didn’t feel “good enough.” Let Him revive what life tried to bury.

4. See Yourself Through God’s Eyes

Baggage often keeps us stuck in the past, telling us we’re victims, damaged goods, or unworthy. But Jesus flips the script. Through Him, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). The moment you place your life in His hands, your story starts fresh.

You are not what they called you. You are not what you did. You are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). And through Him, you can begin to believe that too.

5. Grow in Grace Toward Yourself

As Shannon continued surrendering her past to Jesus, something surprising happened—she became kinder to herself. Not because she suddenly had it all together, but because she started seeing herself the way God does: forgiven, loved, in progress.

God is not standing over you with a list of your mistakes. He’s offering mercy new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). And when we receive that mercy, it becomes easier to extend it to ourselves.

6. Let Others Love You

Pain can isolate. It convinces us to stay hidden, to guard our wounds, to figure it all out alone. But healing happens in community. Jesus often worked through people—through touch, through presence, through words of encouragement.

Don’t be afraid to let safe people in. Let them walk with you, pray with you, and remind you of truth when you forget. That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.

7. Experience the Miracle of Forgiveness

Shannon’s journey eventually led her to a place where she could forgive her mother—not because the pain wasn’t real, but because Jesus had done such deep work in her heart that she was no longer chained to bitterness.

Forgiveness is rarely instant. It’s a daily decision to hand the offense to God and trust Him with justice and healing. But over time, the grip of resentment loosens, and freedom grows.

Healing first. Forgiveness next. And grace covering all of it.

8. Love Others Like Jesus Loves You

When your heart is healed, you begin to see people differently. You’re more compassionate, more patient. You see not just what they are—but who they’re becoming.

That’s the beauty of walking with Jesus: He transforms your pain into purpose. You become a light, a testimony, a safe place for others who are still hurting.

And isn’t that what we all long to be?

You Don’t Have to Fix Yourself—You Just Have to Come

We all carry something—a hurt, a lie, a habit, a wound. But you don’t have to stay stuck in it. You don’t have to earn your way out. Jesus already paid the price.

He’s not asking you to be stronger. He’s inviting you to surrender.

Let Him take the weight off your shoulders. Let Him write a new chapter. Let Him tell you who you really are.

Today, you don’t have to say, “I set myself free.”

You get to say, “Jesus has set me free—and I am finally learning how to live like it.”

Let Jesus lead you forward. Freedom is already yours.