Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
HEBREWS 12:1 NKJV
The fact that the writer to the Hebrews tells us to lay aside “every weight” and “the sin which so easily ensnares” suggests to me that there is a difference between a “weight” and a “sin.” In other words, if you are not running to your optimum capacity, it may not be because of some gross sin you are committing but because of an unnecessary “weight” that is holding you back.
For example, a “weight” in this context could be the fact that you consistently hang out with the wrong people. They may or may not be Christians, but for whatever reason, they are holding you back from aspiring to greater things in Christ. Perhaps they are feeding you with negativity and dragging you down to their level instead of encouraging you and building you up. It may sound a little harsh, but you need to shed some of that weight!
Maybe your “weight” is the fact that you have reached a plateau in your Christian life and don’t know how to break through to the next level. For instance, you may be looking to God for a financial breakthrough. It could be that God is challenging you to actually give more and be stretched in your faith. If you know that God has spoken to you about this but you are holding back from doing it, this is a weight that is preventing you from progressing. It’s not a sin, but it is a weight!
We need to continually look at our lives and see where we can shed weight, casting off any excess layers that are adding nothing to our racing gear and slowing us down. We need to keep ourselves streamlined and flexible in order to do what God calls us to do.
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
What weight is keeping you from moving forward in God’s plan for your life?