“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,” Hebrews 12:1
In the previous chapter, the author of Hebrews, displays a large list of believers who endured many things for their faith in God. They trusted God for something that they could not directly see and never directly received. Now he tells us that because of this great cloud of witnesses we are to do something–we are to throw off all sin and things that hinder us and run the race set before us. We are to look at these witnesses and find strength and encouragement to keep going forward for God, to keep running.
First, what are things that hinder you? Hinder means to hold back or keep from getting something accomplished. How many times does a person go through life saying “if I only had the time to do….”? Yet other people seem to be able to get many things accomplished. What you do with your time can be a hinderance to getting something done. Do you let little things steal your time, such as: checking emails every 10 minutes, reading every little post by every friend, watching every episode of many shows, watching every baseball game and many other things in life. Along with time, what things are you doing? Are you watching edifying shows or sinful shows; what music do you listen too; who do you spend time around? All these things and more should be bringing you closer to God, not further from Him. In the Christian walk all these things and more may hinder your time spent with God and doing His work. You are to throw them off.
Also a problem is sin in your life. If you are honest with yourself you will be able to point out “small” sins in your life. Although “stretching the truth” may seem small, it is still sin and can also cause the sin in your life to grow larger. Often many people try to overlook a “small” sin as just who they are, or it is just a problem they have and cannot overcome. These sins will entangle you and cause you to trip into more sin. They will keep you from fully following God and running the race He has set before you.
Today you need to ask God to reveal anything in your life that is a hinderance to your walk or a sin in your life. Then you must cast it out of your life. Seek God for the strength to do so. Getting rid of an old habit or something you like that you do not need is very difficult. Only in the power of God can this be done. Once done then you will be able to run the race given you to run.
I pray that today God will reveal to you anything in your life that is a hinderance to your walk with Him; that God will give you strength to cast of sin and all hinderances; that God will give you a vision of the race He has given you; that God will give the strength to run His race; and that God will bless your time and effort dedicated to Him.
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