What Are You Carrying?

By Caleb Knight

What are you carrying?

It’s a simple question, but it can reveal a lot about where we are in life.

We all carry something.

Some things we carry are responsibilities God has given us. As husbands, wives, parents, employees, leaders, and followers of Jesus, there are things that belong in our backpack. But there are also things we carry that God never asked us to carry.

And sometimes we have been carrying them for so long that we don't even realize how heavy they have become.

That’s where we began Week 1 of Back 2 Sunday School at FaithPointe Church.

The question was simple:

What are you carrying?


Not Everything Belongs in Your Backpack


Think about what a backpack is designed to do.

It isn't designed to carry everything you own. It's designed to carry what you need for the day.

But many of us have filled our backpacks with things from yesterday, things we're worried about tomorrow, things other people said about us, things we wish we could change, and things we were never responsible for in the first place.

We keep adding weight.

Eventually, we're carrying extra bags just to carry everything that's already in our backpack.

The truth is, we were never designed to carry everything.


Fear


One of the things we carry is fear.

Fear of the unknown.

Fear of people.

Fear of what might happen.

Some fears are legitimate. But there is a kind of fear that begins to control our lives and prevents us from enjoying the life God has given us.

Scripture repeatedly tells us not to live controlled by fear.

So what if instead of putting fear back in our backpack every morning, we decided to leave it on the floor?

You don't have to carry fear.


Shame


Some people carry shame from things they have done.

But others carry shame because of things that were done to them.

There are things that happened in our childhood, relationships, families, or past that were wrong and damaging.

Acknowledging that something happened does not mean we have to carry the shame of it forever.

Jesus dealt with our shame at the cross.

What happened to you may have been real.

It may have been wrong.

It may have affected you deeply.

But you don't have to keep carrying it.


Anxiety


Anxiety can feel like an anaconda.

It grips you and squeezes you until you feel like you can't breathe.

And it's easy for someone who doesn't struggle with anxiety to tell someone who does, “Just get over it.”

But compassion matters.

If anxiety is something you struggle with, don't hear this message as condemnation.

Hear it as an invitation.

You don't have to call it “my anxiety” and carry it as though it belongs to you forever.

You can give it to God.


Sin


Sin is something every one of us encounters.

None of us gets to stand outside the need for grace. Scripture reminds us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.

But here's the good news:

John the Baptist looked at Jesus and declared,

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

If Jesus was willing to take it away, why are we still carrying it?

The cross wasn't simply Jesus making forgiveness available someday.

He came to deal with the sin that separates us from God.

Stop carrying what Jesus already carried for you.


Other People's Opinions


This may be one of the hardest things to put down in our social-media-driven world.

We carry what people think about us.

We carry comments.

We carry criticism.

We carry comparisons.

We carry the pressure to make everyone happy.

But here's something we need to remember:

Jesus didn't please everyone.

And Jesus was perfect.

So if Jesus couldn't please everyone, what makes us think we can?

You can spend your entire life carrying the opinions of people who were never supposed to determine your identity.

At some point, you have to put that weight down.


Your Past


Every person has a past.

Some people's pasts are more complicated than others.

Some people grew up in church and others didn't.

Some have made decisions they deeply regret.

Some have experienced things they never would have chosen.

But we all have a past.

The question isn't whether you have one.

The question is whether you're going to carry it forever.

Paul reminds us that there are things we once did and identities we once carried that no longer define us.

In Christ, you are a new creation.

Your past can explain where you've been without determining where you're going.


Cast Your Cares on the Lord


Psalm 55:22 says:

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.”

That verse becomes even more powerful when you understand what David was experiencing when he wrote it.

David wasn't writing from a place where everything was perfect.

He described troubling thoughts.

Anguish.

Fear.

Trembling.

Feeling overwhelmed.

He even experienced moments where it seemed like God wasn't listening.

And yet, in the middle of all of that, David says:

Cast your cares on the Lord.

In other words:

Don't keep carrying what is crushing you.

Give it to God.


Jesus Offers Rest


Jesus gives us the same invitation in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Notice that Jesus doesn't say, “Come to me once you've figured everything out.”

He doesn't say, “Come to me after you've become strong enough.”

He says:

Come to me.

Bring the weariness.

Bring the burden.

Bring the anxiety.

Bring the shame.

Bring the fear.

Bring the things you've been carrying.

And Jesus says He will give you rest.

There is a difference between sleep and rest.

You can sleep for eight hours and still wake up carrying the same anxiety you went to bed with.

The rest Jesus offers goes deeper.

It's rest for your soul.


Same Bible. Different Burden.


Sometimes Christianity can feel like another backpack.

More rules.

More expectations.

More pressure.

More things to accomplish.

More things you have to get right.

But Acts 15 reminds us that the early church wrestled with this very issue. The leaders questioned why they were placing a burden on new believers that neither they nor their ancestors had been able to bear.

They recognized that salvation comes through the grace of Jesus.

Following Jesus isn't supposed to become another crushing weight.

Grace doesn't add another burden to your backpack. Grace teaches you what you can finally put down.


If Jesus Didn't Carry It, Neither Can You


Jesus didn't carry everyone's problems.

Jesus didn't take responsibility for everyone's choices.

Jesus wasn't constantly available to everyone.

Jesus didn't please everyone.

And if Jesus didn't carry those things, neither can you.

You can love people without taking responsibility for their decisions.

You can care about people without trying to fix everyone.

You can serve others without being constantly available.

You can follow Jesus without living your entire life trying to make everyone happy.

And you can have a past without allowing your past to become your identity.


So, What's in Your Backpack?


Maybe you've been carrying something for years.

Maybe it's fear.

Maybe it's shame.

Maybe it's anxiety.

Maybe it's sin.

Maybe it's someone else's opinion.

Maybe it's something from your past.

Maybe you've been carrying someone else's problems or taking responsibility for choices that belong to them.

Whatever it is, here's the question:

Did God actually ask you to carry this?

If the answer is no, it's time to put it down.

Jesus said:

“Come to me.”

And the exchange is beautiful.

You give Him what is heavy.

He gives you what is light.

You give Him your burden.

He gives you rest.

So don't leave church this week, pick everything back up, put it back in the backpack, and carry it home with you.

You were never designed to carry everything.

Ask yourself:


What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry?


And then let it go.

If Jesus didn't carry it, neither can you.





Back 2 Sunday School — Week 1: What Are You Carrying?

Join us at FaithPointe Church in Waxahachie as we continue our five-week journey back to the fundamentals of faith and discover how those fundamentals intersect with everyday life.

Sundays at 10 AM
FaithPointe Church
You belong here.

God Is Not Just the God of Sunday

By Caleb Knight

Psalm 134 | Summer in the Psalms


What happens when Sunday is over?

That may be one of the most important questions we can ask about our faith.

For 15 weeks, we have been walking through the Songs of Ascents in Psalms 120–134. These psalms describe a journey—the journey of God's people as they traveled toward Jerusalem to worship at the temple during the major festivals.

And now, in Psalm 134, we reach the end of the journey.

The people have arrived.

They have worshiped.

They have gathered.

And now they are preparing to go home.

That makes Psalm 134 a beautiful picture of what gathering together as God's people is supposed to accomplish in our lives.


We Were Never Meant to Make the Journey Alone


One of the most important truths we have talked about throughout this series is that we were never meant to make the journey alone.

Psalm 133 reminded us of the blessing of unity among God's people. Psalm 134 continues that idea by showing God's people gathered together in worship.

Faith was never designed to be lived in isolation.

There is certainly a personal dimension to following Jesus, but Christianity was never intended to be a "me and Jesus" experience disconnected from everyone else.

We need one another.

We need encouragement when we're discouraged.

We need prayer when we're struggling.

We need people who will celebrate with us when God answers prayer.

We need people who will remind us of God's faithfulness when we temporarily forget.

That's one of the reasons the church matters.

Gathering reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.


Worship Requires Surrender


Psalm 134:2 says:

"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."

Lifting our hands in worship is more than a physical action. Throughout Scripture, lifted hands can represent worship, prayer, surrender, and blessing.

When we lift our hands, we are reminding ourselves that God is worthy of our worship.

We are also acknowledging that we are not in control of everything.

Sometimes surrender looks like raising your hands and saying, "God, I trust You."

Sometimes it looks like praying when you don't know what to do.

Sometimes it looks like continuing to worship when life isn't going the way you hoped.

Worship doesn't mean that everything is perfect.

Worship means that God is still worthy even when everything isn't perfect.


Worship Changes Our Perspective


One of the reasons we gather together is because worship changes our perspective.

Life can be hard.

The Songs of Ascents don't pretend otherwise. In fact, this journey began by acknowledging that life can be difficult.

There will be difficult seasons.

There will be unexpected phone calls.

There will be family challenges.

There will be moments when we ask, "Why did this happen to me?"

But gathering with God's people gives us an opportunity to lift our eyes.

Instead of only looking at our circumstances, worship reminds us to look at God.

It doesn't necessarily change the situation immediately.

But it can change the way we see the situation.

Sometimes we come into church carrying a problem and leave carrying a different perspective.

We begin asking:

"God, what can You teach me through this?"

That doesn't mean we pretend the pain isn't real.

It means we refuse to believe that the pain is the only thing that is real.

God is still present.

God is still faithful.

God is still working.


Then We Go Home


This may be my favorite part of Psalm 134.

The people didn't stay at the temple forever.

They gathered.

They worshiped.

They were blessed.

And then they went home.

That's important because the goal of gathering isn't simply to have a great Sunday morning.

The goal is to take what God does in us on Sunday into the rest of our week.

Church isn't an escape from real life.

It prepares us to live faithfully in real life.

Eventually, the worship service ends.

The lights come up.

The music stops.

We walk out the doors.

And Monday comes.


God Is Not Just the God of Sunday


Psalm 134:3 says:

"May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth."

Notice how the psalm describes God.

He isn't merely the God of the temple.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth.

That means He isn't limited to one building, one day, or one gathering.

He's not just the God of Sunday.

He's the God of Monday.

He's with you when you walk into work.

He's with you when you walk into school.

He's with you when you're raising your kids.

He's with you when you're sitting in a difficult meeting.

He's with you when you're facing something you didn't expect.

He's with you when life is going exactly the way you hoped.

And He's with you when it isn't.

The same God we worship on Sunday is the God who walks with us on Monday.


So Look Up


As we close Summer in the Psalms, Psalm 134 gives us a simple reminder:

Look up.

You may not know what this week holds.

You may not know what the next season will bring.

You may not have every answer.

But you know who holds your life.

The Maker of heaven and earth is still God.

And you don't have to make the journey alone.

Gather with God's people.

Worship Him.

Allow Him to change your perspective.

And then go live your faith wherever Monday takes you.

"God is not just the God of Sunday.

He's the God of Monday."


Join Us at FaithPointe


If you're looking for a church in Waxahachie where you can grow in your faith, build meaningful relationships, worship together, and find a community to walk with, we'd love to meet you.

FaithPointe Church
Sundays at 10:00 AM

You belong here.

  • The Power of Unity: What Psalm 133 Teaches Us About the Church

    By Caleb knight

    Psalm 133 is only three verses long, but it contains an incredibly important message for the church.

    David begins with these words:

    "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."

    That sounds simple.

    But unity isn't always easy.

    The church is made up of people who don't think alike, act alike, look alike, or have the same preferences. We come from different backgrounds and different journeys.

    And yet we're called to live together in unity.

    Not because we're all the same.

    Because we're all centered on the same Savior.


    Unity Is More Than Agreement


    One of the easiest mistakes we can make is confusing unity with agreement.

    They're not the same thing.

    A unified church isn't necessarily a church where everyone agrees about the color of the walls, the volume of the music, the style of worship, the way a ministry should operate, or every other preference.

    If unity depended on everyone agreeing about everything, the church would never make it.

    Unity is something deeper.

    It's choosing to remain connected around what matters most.

    And for the church, what matters most is Jesus.


    Unity Is Sacred


    David compares unity to the anointing oil used for Aaron.

    This wasn't ordinary oil.

    It was sacred.

    David is making a deliberate connection between the sacred oil and the unity of God's people.

    Unity matters to God.

    It isn't something we should treat casually.

    It's something we should protect.

    Every church has opportunities for division.

    Sometimes the issues are significant.

    But often division begins with something much smaller—preferences, personalities, misunderstandings, assumptions, gossip, or the belief that our way is the only acceptable way.

    That's why unity has to be intentional.

    We have to fight for it.

    We have to protect it.

    And we have to remember that our preferences aren't the center of the church.

    Jesus is.


    Unity Is Refreshing


    David then gives us another picture:

    The dew of Hermon.

    Dew is refreshing.

    It's something that comes from above and provides moisture and life.

    That's what healthy unity can feel like.

    There's something refreshing about being part of a church where people aren't constantly fighting against one another.

    There's something refreshing about serving alongside people who may be completely different from you but are moving in the same direction.

    There's something refreshing about knowing that you don't have to carry everything alone.

    The church was never intended to be a collection of isolated individuals.

    We are the body of Christ.


    Unity Is Our Witness


    This may be the most important part of the message.

    In John 17, Jesus prayed for His followers.

    And His prayer was that they would be one.

    Why?

    So that the world would believe.

    Jesus connected the unity of His church with the credibility of its witness.

    That's sobering.

    A divided church doesn't give the world a compelling picture of Jesus.

    But a diverse group of people choosing to love one another because of Jesus is powerful.

    People who shouldn't naturally belong together become family.

    Different generations.

    Different backgrounds.

    Different personalities.

    Different stories.

    One Savior.

    One church.

    One family.


    The Church Should Look Like a Family


    The church isn't merely a place we attend.

    It's a people we belong to.

    That's why Psalm 133 says God's people should live together in unity.

    That doesn't mean everyone needs to move into the same house!

    It means we don't simply gather together for an hour and then disappear into our individual lives.

    We belong to one another.

    We celebrate together.

    We hurt together.

    We serve together.

    We pray together.

    When one part of the body hurts, the rest of the body should care.

    When one part celebrates, the rest of the body should celebrate.

    That's what family does.


    Where Is "There"?


    Psalm 133 ends by saying:

    "For there the Lord bestows his blessing."

    The people of Israel were traveling toward Jerusalem.

    They were headed toward a physical place where they would worship God.

    But the deeper picture is about God's people living together in unity.

    The blessing isn't ultimately about a building.

    It's about what God does among His people.

    And that's still true today.

    The church isn't ultimately a building at 908 Sycamore Street.

    The church is the people who gather there.

    And when those people choose to center their lives around Jesus and walk together in unity, something powerful happens.

    God works not just in us, but with us and through us.


    We Don't Have to Be Clones


    The goal isn't uniformity.

    The goal is unity.

    We don't need everyone to have the same personality.

    We don't need everyone to have the same preferences.

    We don't need everyone to think exactly alike.

    We need everyone to know who we're centered on.

    Jesus.

    That's what Psalm 133 reminds us.

    Unity is sacred.

    Unity is refreshing.

    Unity is our witness.

    And perhaps one of the best things we can do with our lives is become a faithful part of a local church, plant ourselves there, and watch what God does—not just in us, but with us and through us.

    We're better together.