Run!

"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,

fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Hebrews 12:1

I watched with interest as my daughter negotiated the obstacles, plunged into muddy ravines and climbed over walls of all kinds.   Would I be able to complete this course?  I wondered.  I thought I might be strong enough and I knew I could run the 4 miles required by the Marine Corps Mud Run, but the only way I would know for sure was if I entered the race myself.

It's the same with the path God has planned for me to walk.  I may think my faith is strong and I have the endurance to persevere, but I'll never know unless I step out in faith.   With all of the examples of people living in God's strength found in the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11, what am I waiting for? Now it's my turn.

Hindrances

The burden weighed heavily upon his back.  He tried to continue on with his life as if everything was normal, but it wasn't.  In fact, his whole life had been tragically altered the day his step-father beat to death his beloved mother.   Still, the boy grew into a man, stumbling through life with the added weight of unforgiveness bearing down upon him.

Once Dean Smith* gave his unforgiveness and resentment over to Jesus Christ, however, things began to change.  God transformed him, giving the once angry, self-destructive man a new perspective.  As he released the rage that had so defined him all those years, God's power allowed Dean to forgive, enabling him to re-establish a relationship with the source of his hurt.

Unforgiveness is but one of the barriers between me and freedom in Christ.  I can also run up against fear, doubt, foolish and selfish pursuits or one of the many distractions that can keep me from completely living in Christ.  In order to live as I was meant to live, perfectly related to God, I will need to purposefully cast these blockades aside, placing them into the capable hands of my Lord and Savior.  (Psalm 55:22)

Running the race like those who came before me means I'll need to do away with everything that gets in the way of my relationship with God.

Entangling Sin

After a brief period of neglect, the tree was overcome.  The invading vine had quickly grown, entwining itself around the small tree until it's branches were bound like a hostage held against his will.  If I had allowed the creeper to continue spreading, the tree would surely have died.

In order to free my tree from the entanglement of this aggressive assailant, I had to use a knife, hatchet and a set of pruners to cut away the vine.  While this temporarily did the job, in order to wipe this problem out permanently, I needed to dig out and destroy the root.

Sin is a similarly aggressive and invasive adversary.  A stronghold of sin in my life will soon choke out the Son, ensnaring me and hampering any forward movement.  Just as the tree wouldn't be able to grow properly with the vine taking most of the water, nutrients and sunlight, so sin can suck all my attention and energy, giving me desires that run counter to God's.  Before I know it, I find myself living for me instead of for Christ.

Running the race like those who came before me means I'll need to take sin seriously and cut away any sign of it the moment it sprouts.

Enter the Racecourse

I had always thought of taking up painting as a hobby, but I never took the time to learn.  As my daughters grew, I watched them tackle and accomplish many creative pursuits while I stood by observing their talent.  One day, an artistic friend mentioned a painting class she was offering in her home and invited me to join in.  I would have never known the joy of exploring the world creatively if I hadn't taken a chance and given it a try.

In a similar way, I can't run the race God has tailor-made for me if I never enter the racecourse.  I can stand by watching others live for Him or try to mimic the same path I see others traveling, but I'll never know the power of God for myself unless I run my own race.  

My life has it's own peculiar tasks that have been created just for me to accomplish, passions that drive me forward toward Christ, and troubles meant to grow my faith and purify my heart.  If I don't keep my eyes on Jesus, however, I'll get distracted and may start living the way I think I should live or do what I see my friend doing instead of letting God be my leader.  

Oswald Chambers made a good point about the difference between manufacturing my own destiny, and letting God serve as my master planner.  He said, "It is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God's engineering.  If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient."  

Running the race like those who came before me means I must enter the course designed for me, keeping the Lord close as the head as well as the source of all strength, wisdom and joy.

With all the amazing examples found in Hebrews 11, I can either read about them as unusual exceptions, or I can be inspired to live the same.  If I choose the latter, I will learn to cast off the hindrances that block my relationship with God, cut away the strongholds of sin before they ensnare me, and enter the path intended for me.  Then I can run with perseverance as those who came before me did.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will keep my eyes on Jesus who both gives me my faith and perfects it through His choice of circumstances and experiences.

How do I let sin hold me back as it grows to overpower my faith?

When do I most often run up against roadblocks in my walk with Jesus and what are those hindrances? 

*www.livetoforgive.com