“…let us throw off everything that hinders… And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” – Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Mary dressed for a music recital but ignored a small tickle of a tag in her shirt. She began skillfully playing her instrument, but soon became distracted by the tag’s tickle. She adjusted herself to bring relief, but in the process broke her momentum.
Jason, set for a marathon, ignored a very small pebble in his shoe. During the race, discomfort and distraction became his unpleasant focus, eventually slowing him down. Finally, Jason stopped, removed the pebble, and moved forward, losing time.
Both Mary and Jason experienced hindrances they ignored. Those hindrances, left unchecked, obstructed the quality of both Mary’s and Jason’s overall performance.
The same applies to us. The Bible admonishes us to throw off everything that hinders us. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a hindrance as: ‘A person or thing that makes it more difficult for someone to do something or for something to happen.’
Hindrances can take different forms. They can be unbelief and doubt (Hebrews 3:19), worries and worldly distractions (Luke 8:14), sin (Isaiah 59:2), satanic interference (1st Thessalonians 2:18), or people (Matthew 16:23).
Regardless of the kind of hindrance, we must be determined to throw off each one, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, replace unbelief and doubt with faith, worldly distractions with seeking God’s kingdom, and sin with righteous living. Let us combat satanic interference with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Finally, let’s ask God for divine associations with people and organisations so that we can run the race marked out for us with perseverance. Shalom.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word. Please reveal every hindrance that’s keeping me from You, and help me to throw them off. I thank You for helping me to run the race marked out for me with perseverance, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 1:1; 1 Corinthians 5:11
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 8:32-36; Luke 11:5-32; Deuteronomy 4:15-49; Deuteronomy 5