Nothing Ages People More than Carrying Old Baggage!
Even as we grow, we can only hold so much. Unless, as we age, we repent of sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like [there are many, many other sins and old baggage that can impair us] we will not have room for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5
All of which takes grace, and especially the foundational grace of faith – believing we are being helped to do/be more than we ever could do/be in our own effort or strength!
In life we encounter a great deal (besides which, we ourselves, do much which is not right) that is wrong, stupid, evil, ridiculous, inappropriate, little things that just irritate us . . . we can hold on to them, adding each to our already heavy burden, or GIVE IT UP (forgive and seek the grace to forget)! Over time it is easy to pack away one issue after another until the weight of it all is crushing and debilitating.
There are two distinct types of repentance, both of which are necessary to dispose of the old baggage in an effort not to prematurely age ourselves – seeking forgiveness for what we do wrong and forgiving others the wrongs done to us. Hold on to either and we WILL become sour, resentful, nasty, unpleasant, angry . . . in short, old and bitter.
Repentance is a spiritual discipline and “exercise” NECESSARY to keep us spiritually fresh, clean and young! With even the best of physical exercise all will eventually grow physically old and die. The same is not true spiritually; exercising the proper spiritual disciplines (of which repentance is foundational) will ensure, not only that we do not decay as we age, but that we mature in wisdom – that we improve, like good wine (so they say), with age!
Repent, and travel light, for the time this side of eternity is short!