Everything That Hinders

Transcript, Christian Working Woman

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Are you training for the Olympics? Not many of us can qualify to run in the prestigious races of the Olympics. But we're all qualified to run in the race that God has marked out for each of us. And it's much more important to run in that race than in the Olympics.

Hebrews 12:1 says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Can you imagine a runner at the Olympics coming on the track with a coat on and a backpack and a purse? No way! They get rid of anything that will slow them down even a millisecond. In the same way, if we're going to run our race effectively, we must throw off everything that hinders us. What is hindering you today?

Maybe it's laziness and lack of discipline.You just haven't yet disciplined yourself to study God's Word and pray like you know you should. Oh, you keep intending to and you really want to. But somehow, when the alarm goes off, it's just too easy to roll over and go back to sleep. Without the Word of God firmly entrenched in your mind and heart, you're never going to run the race to win.

Are you hindered by the cares of this world?Do you let money or people or jobs or other circumstances get you down all the time? If you worry and fret a lot, you can't run the race very well. Don't you hear all those people in the stands encouraging you: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

Could it be that you're hindered by busyness?Maybe your life is full of all kinds of things and activities. Not necessarily bad things, but they crowd your life so much that there is no room left for the things of God.

Or perhaps you're entangled with your past, or your low self-esteem, or your failures.Can you hear Rahab calling to you now? She's saying, "Forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead."

What sin is entangling you?Could it be lack of sexual purity? Is it an unforgiving spirit? Have you been dishonest or deceptive? It is a tongue that is out of control, complaining, criticizing, judging? Can you hear the Apostle Paul saying to you: "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" (Galatians 5:7) We're surrounded with the saints of old, watching us run our race, and because they know the joy that is set before us, and they know we're going to miss the prize if we keep trying to run with all that stuff holding us back.