What's Weighing You Down?

 

A newly retired couple purchased a boat and after launching it for the first time they discovered they were having serious problems. No matter how hard they tried they couldn’t get the boat up and moving. It was sluggish no matter how much power was applied. They creeped to a nearby marina hoping someone could tell them what was wrong. A thorough check on the topside of the boat revealed everything was in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine; the outdrive went up and down; the propeller was the correct size and pitch. Then one of the marina workers jumped into the water to check underneath. He surfaced with chocking laughter. Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer used to transport the boat.

How often have you been guilty of the same thing? We sputter along in our spiritual lives, wondering why we’re not making much progress; wondering why we don’t feel any closer to God than we do. We take a spiritual check of the situation and find that we’re attending worship regularly, we’re reading our Bible, we’re praying. On the surface, everything appears to be what it ought to be. But underneath the surface lurks some sin that we have allowed to latch hold of our life. And there it lies, unforgiven, maybe even unrecognized, maybe even still in practice, dragging us down. Though the Hebrew writer used the image of a runner as opposed to that of a boat, the concept is exactly the same, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1). If your spiritual life is sputtering along, perhaps you would do well to look for sin that lies beneath the surface. Throw off everything that hinders you, and you’ll find other things accelerate.

[Colossians 3:16] Another reason Christians become downtrodden and discouraged is because they try to walk alone. We look at the perfect life of Christ and decide, “How can I measure up?” Remember, He was the “God-man,” He was divine as well as human.

We must realize there is no way we can walk alone and at the same time be successful in living the Christian life. We must follow in the steps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21; John 8:12, 10:27, 12:26). We must allow Him to lead the way. Sometimes we want to get ahead of Him. But Christ knows how to lead because He has been over the way. He has gone ahead and blazed the trail. We need to follow Him, putting our feet in His footprints. Jesus knows all of the pitfalls and where the snares are, and He will safely guide us around them, if we allow Him to. As we follow Jesus, He will take care of us, (1 Peter 5:6-7; John 12:32; Matthew 28:20; 1 John 1:7). When we try to walk alone, we are without strength and endurance. We are destined to faulter, stumble and fall. Let us abide in Christ always, (John 15:1-8; 2 John 9; 1 John 2:6). The apostle Paul felt greater power living for Christ, (Philippians 4:13; Romans 1:4-6; 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Mankind is imperfect, though we try our best not to be. Other than Christ, no human being has lived a perfect life, (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6). All the Lord requires of us is that we do our very best, beyond that we cannot go. As long as we are in the world, we will be subject to temptation. Therefore, we should pray as Jesus taught us, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). Don’t become despondent when you recognize you have sinned. Ask God’s forgiveness and determine to live a better life. When you do so you will have grown a little taller and walked a little farther with the Lord toward eternal life.