journey onWord with us

Sixteen years later and I am still embarrassed. Over the years, I have tried to stay in good physical shape by running. On a few occasions, even entering local 5K races. But on a particular Saturday, peer pressure got the best of me. I was in Florida and my wife’s aunt was going to run a local 5k race. She was nearly seventy years old at the time (if she could run the race, so could I). With no practice and about 20lbs of extra “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. Loud footsteps were 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. I wonder, could 20lbs less have changed the outcome?
Could it be in the life race you are running, weight is causing you to move at a snail’s pace and plod toward the finish line? The issue is not being overweight physically, but life weights that are slowing you down. Just as many of us will battle with too many pounds at some point, everyone will struggle with life weights that impede our spiritual progress. I’m guessing there’s at least one life weight slowing your pace right now.

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

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. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1(NLT)

Set in the context of a race, this verse gifts great counsel on how to run. For anyone serious about the claims of Christ, running lean is a priority. Too much clothing or weight will always slow a runner. Weight that slows our spiritual effectiveness is just as damaging in the life race God designed for us. Weights that burden Christ-followers, though, aren’t inherently bad. They are also things like your job, meaningful hobbies, family, or even the technology that we love. But we must recognize that anything that hinders our time with God and walk of faith is a weight that needs to be stripped off. Easier said than done, right?
Dealing with the weights that slow us down spiritually takes discipline. A profound definition of discipline caught and captured my attention this summer. It can relate to our spiritual weights or even our physical weight. “Discipline is choosing what you want most, over what you want now.” (The Power to Change by Craig Groschel)

Hmm!!! What we want most is:

• To honor God with our health, but what we want now often clashes with a healthy lifestyle.
• To honor God as a fully devoted follower of Christ, but what we want now pushes out the discipline necessary to grow spiritually.

If there are weights slowing you down (remember weights aren’t always bad in, and of themselves), simply give them back to Him, and intentionally choose what you want most. Too honor God with both 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.