journey onWord with us

Designed to fail was my mis-adventure of three and half years ago. Over the years I have tried to stay in shape by running, and on a few occasions even entered local 5K races. But on this particular Saturday, peer pressure got the best of me. I was in Florida and my wife’s aunt was going to run a local race. She was about seventy years old at the time. With no practice and about 20lbs of too much baggage, I was all in for the race. By the first mile marker, I was moving at a snail’s pace, and then it happened. Someone with loud footsteps was overtaking me. Looking back, I was shocked to see a young runner who may have been about five years old passing me. With too much pride to quit, and too much weight to succeed, I plodded slowly to the finish line. But wait a minute, could 20lbs less have changed the outcome?

Could it be in the life race you are running, weight is causing you to plod toward the finish line? I am not talking about being overweight physically, but about life weights that are slowing you down. Just as most individuals will battle with too many pounds at some point, everyone will struggle with life weights that impede our spiritual progress. As you read this article, are there life weights that are hindering your joy and slowing your steps?

From God’s perspective, the answer for excess life weight is clear.

Hebrews 12:1(NKJV)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Set in the context of a race, this verse gives great counsel on how to run. For anyone serious about the claims of Christ, running lean is a priority. Too much clothing, or too much weight will always slow a runner. Weight that slows our spiritual effectiveness is just as damaging in the life race God designed for us. Interestingly enough, weights that hinder Christ followers are not necessarily bad. It could be your job, your hobbies, too much emphasis on family that causes you to short-change God, or even all the great technology that we love. Anything that hinders our walk of faith is a weight that needs to be put aside. Easier said than done, right?

I believe that there will be some readers of this post that can very easily identify the excess baggage that is weighing them down. But maybe you are aware of your extra weight, but are struggling to understand or name it . Ask yourself:

What diverts your attention from a focused race?
What is dampening your enthusiasm for His cause?
Are you loving God, but living distracted?

If God has brought some baggage to your mind (remember weights aren’t always bad in, and of themselves), simply give it back to Him and commit to laying it aside. Losing weight is not easy, nor is laying aside those things that hinder our life journey. But our physical and spiritual health is worth it. By the way, my wife’s 70-something aunt was a runner of marathons. She prepared well, and so can we! Run lean for Christ.