October 2, 2026
We are leaving on vacation in a few days. I have never enjoyed packing my suitcase. I always overpack. I am forever worried that I “might need” something that I don’t have. It doesn’t matter there are usually department stores everywhere we vacation.
I think in my head my motto is “be prepared.” I tend to overpack on vacation situations but I also seem to overpack in circumstances I face in my life as well. I feel like the Lord is trying to help me work on this problem and here are some of the things I have learned along the way.
Overpacking my suitcase causes me to carry more than I need to and it is definitely heavier than I need it to be. The same is true in my life. Sometimes, (ok most of the time) I tend to feel the responsibility to not only carry my own trials, worries, and problems but also the ones that the people I love are dealing with which includes family and friends. I am overpacking.
All the worries I am carrying are too much for my mind to handle. God never intended for me to carry this heavy load. Just like I can and should control what I pack into my suitcase, I can and should control what I pack into my heart and mind. I have to be able to unpack my worries and problems that consume my thoughts to make my heavy loads manageable.
The Bible says to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ which just allows me to gain control over what I am thinking about in my mind when it comes to myself, my loved ones, and my life situations. With God’s help I am empowered to focus my mind on the correct things, which in turn lightens my load. Overpacking is not good for my suitcase or my mind.
I also know that we all pack our suitcases differently. Wayne can pack for a week in a duffle bag and be just fine. As a side note, we did go on vacation one year and he only had one pair of shorts and no bathing suit, which is why I am thankful for department stores.
Wayne does not worry or stress over much of anything. He packs his suitcase light and lives his life the exact same way. I do believe there is some sense of freedom in being able to pack light, physically and mentally. Wayne will throw that duffle bag over his shoulder and he has both of his hands free. I, on the other hand, will have to pull a suitcase with one hand and usually a carry-on with the other, plus have my purse thrown over my shoulder.
The truth is God would probably prefer me to be empty-handed rather than encumbered by my overwhelming load. I believe God wants us to come to Him ready to trust and learn with empty but open hands. I must have an empty hand to be able to take hold of my Savior’s hand. Overpacking occupies your hands, but freedom comes when you have a hand to hold.
I also think I overpack because it makes me feel like I have planned for anything and everything. I can almost guarantee you when I open my suitcase, I probably have no idea what is in there or why I would have even packed so much. I usually come home with more clean clothes than dirty because I packed things that I thought I needed but they were just items that added to make a heavier suitcase.
In all honesty, I don’t think I can plan for every situation. I can try and “prepare” for anything, but I can’t plan for it. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “I know the plans I have for you.” God has the plan and only God knows the plan. There is not a way for me to plan for everything. There will always be the unexpected situations that arise, but God will always show up in unexpected ways and in unexpected places.
My job is to be prepare, to be in the proper state of mind which doesn’t mean pack all you can into a suitcase. One of the definitions of prepared is the action or process of making something ready for use or service. Isn’t that what we need the Lord to do for us? Help us to be ready for service while He has the plan. Overpacking to plan for everything only makes your suitcase stuffed, heavy, and filled with things you probably won’t need. Packing to be prepared for God’s plan fits in your suitcase perfectly!
I am really going to try and pack light from here on out, not only in my suitcase but physically and mentally. Joshua 1:9 says “I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” When we pack our bags for each trip let’s pack light and trust God is with us wherever we go, whether on a physical trip or this journey called life!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
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