Hebrews 12:1-2 Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Recently, I joined a gym. I found myself one morning laying on the floor after the workout not able to breath. During the workout, I was challenged because it was difficult and more weight than I thought I was capable of lifting, and I kept walking away from the barbell in order to try and catch my breath. When I was ready to attempt the next lift, I would walk back up to the bar and kneel down beside it instead of trying to lift it. After the workout, my coach came up to me and gave me some of the wisest advice I had ever been given. She told, “Jason, do not ever walk away from the bar because if you do you’re not likely to pick it back up.”
What does weightlifting have to do with spiritual things? We walk away from challenges and storms in life way too early. Some challenges, trials, and hardships take our breath away. They cause us to doubt or give up on God. Sometimes, these test challenge us to the very core of our foundation, and they even make us feel like we are going to die. When we give up or walk away, we do not learn what God is teaching us and we do not experience the goodness of God that we have so longed to see.
Jesus, teaching the disciples before He ascended, said “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” There is nothing that takes Jesus by surprise, and there is not a moment in time that Jesus is not walking beside us. Be encouraged today friends because the storm you or I walk through, we are not alone.
Additionally, the words from the writer of Hebrews are similar to what my coach told me that morning, “keep your eyes on Jesus”. See, when we take our eyes of Jesus- when we walk away from the bar-we take our vision away from seeing Jesus and His goodness. Losing sight of Jesus opens opportunities for the enemy of our faith to cause doubt. Just like the chances of a weightlifter picking the bar back up after we walk away, our chances decrease of not seeing Jesus and His goodness when we take our eyes’ off of Him. What is more encouraging is that Jesus overcame the challenge. Because He overcame and promised us He is with us, we can overcome the trial we are in.
Why God? Most often, the trials of life are not punishment, but are to bring about perfection in our walk with Christ. Notice what the writer said, “[Jesus], is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” We often ask, why me? But the answer is clear, Perfection! See, the weightlifter never gets better, he or she never gets stronger when they do not challenge themselves, and the Christian never grows when he or she is never challenged.
So readers, do not walk away from the bar of life, stay the course, and keep your eyes on Jesus.
We are praying for you! Remember, God loves you today right where you are at.
Pastor Jason
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