“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Have you ever packed your bags for an expedition before?
I am not talking about a vacation because we can bring with us all the clothes and frills we desire. All we need to do is pack them into our suitcases and the baggage crew will transport them to our destination!
But packing is so different for a track or mountaineering. You can only bring along the essentials… and this requires much planning and thought beforehand. Some questions that come to mind are:
▪️Should I bring along an extra coil of climbing ropes?
▪️Do I need this extra pair of gloves or woollen socks?
▪️How about an extra pack of energy food and drinks?
These are all important considerations because every kilogram of extra weight means that you have to carry it along your entire journey. And this can make the difference to whether you can complete the expedition or not.
Every climber is therefore ruthless in getting rid of any unnecessary burden.
The author of Hebrews understands this principle very well. The journey of our faith is similarly long and arduous. We need to prepare ourselves by travelling with only the essentials to give ourselves the best chance to reach the end.
What are some of the unnecessary weights and burdens in our lives that hold us down?
- Past hurts, unforgiveness and regrets. God can transform our broken past to beauty for his glory. By God’s grace, continue to release them to him and choose the path of forgiveness.
- Wrong priorities. Sometimes our ambitions are not aligned with God’s will. They will be distractions to our race of life.
- Past successes. Basking in the glories of our past or depending on past blessings can also prevent us from embracing God’s new work in our lives. Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to the rock for water. He knew it worked in the past but refused to obey God in stepping into a new dimension of faith. The result was his exclusion from the promised land. We can thank God for his blessings in our past but must be ready to step forward without nostalgia.
What are some of the weights that are burdensome in your life? The Holy Spirit invites you to throw them off so that you can run the race well!
Have a blessed day!🙏