“Put the Bag Down, Sis”

You’ve been carrying it long enough.

In this episode, Sharon reminds you that what God already forgave, you don’t have to keep holding onto. It’s time to release it and walk in His grace.

Put the bag down, Sis.

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 And join the Step Out, Sis Inner Circle at stepoutsis.com — where we stay connected and grow deeper together. 

Transcript

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Welcome to Step Out Sis, the podcast where we grow, healed, and walk confidently in God's calling. I am your host, Sharon. And today we're going to talk about something that might hit a little close to home, not in a harsh way, but in a freeing way. Because the truth is some of us have been carrying things we were never meant to carry. And if you've been feeling heavy, overwhelmed, a little tired in your spirit, this conversation is for you. Let me ask you something. Have you ever been carrying a bag and you didn't even realize how heavy it was until you finally set it down? Like you just got used to it. That's how a lot of us are living. Carrying old hurt, guilt, shame, things we wish we could redo. And here's the part that gets me. Jesus already paid for you to put that bag down, but we're still dragging it. Two scriptures keep coming to me. One says, cast all your cares on him, because he cares for you. Not for some of it, not the small stuff, but all of it. And the other one says it is finished. And when you really sit with that, it means what you're still carrying, Jesus already handled. So let's talk about the bag for a minute. Because sometimes we say we're tired, but it's not life that's heavy. It's what we're holding on to. And if we're honest, some of us are carrying fear, regret, shame, the old version of ourselves. And this one right here, I should have known better. So let me ask you, sis, what have you been carrying? Because you can't release what you won't acknowledge. I had to be honest with myself. I've been loyal to people who didn't deserve my loyalty. And to be honest, God had to remove me from some of those relationships that I didn't have the strength to remove myself from. And I had a lot of shame, guilt, and regrets. But here's what I've learned. Jesus didn't die just for sin. He died for the weight that came with it. Everything you're holding, there was an exchange for it. Your anxiety for his peace, your guilt for his grace, your weakness for his strength. And when he said it is finished, he was saying, you don't have to keep paying for this. And sometimes we're still trying to pay for something God already marked, paid in full. So how do we actually let it go? Not deep, not complicated, just real and practical. If you are still carrying it, it usually shows up in your thoughts. So the next time it comes up, don't entertain it. Replace it. When guilt says you should have known better, you say God already covered that. When shame says you're not worthy, you say I was forgiven, not disqualified. And when fear says, what if it happens again? You say God is with me. That's how you start putting the bag down. Not once, but every time you're tempted to pick it back up. Now yes, talk to God, honestly. Not perfect, not polished. Just go to God and say, I am tired of carrying this. I give it to you. Write it out if you need to. Call it what it is and replace it with truth. And forgiveness, that one is big. Not because what happened was okay, but because you deserve to be free from it. And sis, don't try to do this alone. Let somebody safe walk with you through it. Because let me tell you something. When you finally drop that bag, you'll feel it. Your shoulders relax, your mind gets quiet, you stop explaining yourself so much, you stop apologizing for just being, you walk differently, lighter, freer, more like yourself, more like the woman God already called you to be. And when you put it down today, don't go back and pick it up tomorrow. Maybe it's about releasing what you were never meant to carry. You don't have to keep holding on to what God already handled. Let today be the day you set it down and leave it there. God, thank you for reminding us that we don't have to carry everything. Help us release what's not ours and trust what you've already done. In Jesus' name, amen. Sis, if this blessed you, send it to another woman who's been caring too much. And if you're ready to go deeper, I want to invite you into the inner circle at stepoutsis.com. That's where we grow together, stay connected, and keep doing the real work. Not just hearing it, but living it. And while you're here, go ahead and follow Steppout Sis because this isn't just a podcast, this is a community, and you don't have to walk this out alone. And with that, I will see you next week, right here on Step Out Sis.