Have you ever started something with great enthusiasm, only to find that, somewhere along the way, your energy and motivation begin to fade? Perhaps the excitement wears off, the challenges become greater than expected, or simply keeping going feels harder than it once did.
Following Jesus is not a sprint; it's a race of endurance. We need to be ready for the long run!
The letter to the Hebrews was written to Christians who had already experienced hardship and opposition because of their faith. They had stood firm, even when it cost them dearly, but now some were becoming weary, distracted and spiritually sluggish. The writer wanted to encourage them not to give up or retreat, but to keep going. The message is still relevant, and there are 5 warnings which we can use as prompts for our own reflections today:
1) Drifting (Hebrews 2:1-4)
2) Hardened hearts (Hebrews 3:7-4:13)
3) Sluggishness (Hebrews 5:11-6:12)
4) Shrinking back (Hebrews 10:26-39)
5) Refusing God (Hebrews 12:14-29)
These 5 warnings could have been written to any church in any generation. Perhaps take a moment to pause, reflect and repent of any of these attitudes that you feel may have crept into your heart.
We are then encouraged by the word, 'Therefore', in Hebrews 12:1, reminding us of the people of faith described in chapter 11. Their lives demonstrated what it means to trust God, even when they couldn't see the fulfilment of His promises. We are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, and their example should inspire us to keep running our own race.
So, in applying Hebrews 12:1-3, let’s do the following:
1) Throw off
‘Throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us.’ Hebrews 12:1.
We must throw off unnecessary weights and sin. Unnecessary weights might be fear, anxiety or imaginations. You may be carrying life habits or routines, or the weight of expectations that other people have put on you. What unnecessary weights do you need to lay aside?
And then, sin. Sin is deceptive and easily entangles us (Genesis 4:7). We want our minds to be governed by the Spirit, not the flesh (Romans 8:6) What sin do you need to repent of and turn away from?
2) Run
‘Run with perseverance the race marked out for us’. Romans 12:1.
God has a purpose for each of our lives, and we aren't all called to run the same race. We need to discover what He has placed before us and faithfully pursue it. Walking with Him through Scripture, prayer and Christian community helps us stay on course. We were never meant to do this alone!
As we throw these things off and run our race, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Staying close to Jesus, abiding in Him and making time with Him non-negotiable gives us strength, peace, clarity and fresh grace for each day. Where our eyes are fixed will influence the direction of our lives.
Are you ready for the long run? Perhaps it's time to lay something down, get back on course or simply draw closer to Jesus. Whatever the next step looks like, don't give up. Keep running, keep trusting and, above all, keep your eyes fixed on Him!
Next Steps:
- Catch up with the message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5RpaggK2Gk
- Get your copy of ‘Time with God’ here: https://www.allnationsmovement.org/timewithgod
- Make time with God this week!