Running Free

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24

Many times, the apostle Paul referred to life as a race. The author of the letter to the Hebrews did as well, calling believers to lay aside “every weight” and “the sin which so easily ensnares” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV). These weights—whether they are sin or other obstacles—keep us from running our race well.

The weight might, for instance, be the fact that you consistently hang out with the wrong people. Or maybe you have reached a plateau in your Christian life and don’t know how to get unstuck. Reluctance to accept any faith-stretching challenge may be weighing you down, keeping you from growing in your faith.

You don’t need to be carrying extra weight. Make it a practice to regularly look at your life, see where you can shed weight, and cast off anything that is slowing you down.

Lord God, please help me to let go of each weight I’m carrying, and show me how to run a race that will honor You.