…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 NIV)

A couple from Bakersfield, California bought a brand-new boat and eagerly launched it for its first run on the water.  Almost immediately, they knew something was wrong.  The boat wouldn’t move very fast at all. The engine roared and the wheel turned, but the boat crawled along at a sluggish pace.

After nearly an hour of frustration, they slowly puttered over to a nearby marina and asked for help. A mechanic inspected everything on the top side. The engine hummed perfectly. The outdrive lifted and lowered just as it should.  Everything looked fine.

Finally, one of the marina workers slipped into the water to check underneath. Moments later, he resurfaced, laughing. The problem wasn’t mechanical at all. The couple had launched the boat, but left the trailer strapped securely underneath!  It didn’t matter how powerful the engine was; that boat wasn’t going anywhere with that weight dragging beneath the surface.

It’s a picture of what often happens in our spiritual lives.  Sometimes we feel sluggish in our walk with God. We’re attending worship, reading Scripture, praying, doing all the things we’re “supposed” to do.  Outwardly, everything seems fine.  But inwardly, something isn’t right.  We’re not growing. We’re not moving forward.  We don’t feel closer to Christ, and we can’t figure out why.

Often, the problem is the same one that couple had: something beneath the surface is holding us back.  Maybe it’s a habit we won’t let go of.  Or bitterness we’ve refused to release. Or maybe it’s pride, jealousy, or some other sin we’ve convinced ourselves doesn’t matter. But it does matter — because sin always slows us down.

The Hebrew writer put it plainly: “…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 NIV)

God never intended for us to drag unnecessary weight. He invites us to repent and let go of our sin that weighs us down.  And when we finally remove what’s holding us down, we’ll find that things will run a lot more smoothly.

Prayer: Father, help me see anything in my life that is weighing me down or holding me back. Give me the courage to let go of sin, the humility to repent, and the strength to run the race with perseverance.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day