Over the last year, people have asked me how I get the topic for each week’s “Something to Consider” blog. Many times when I go to God in prayer for something to write, He seems to impress certain messages to my heart and mind, and from that I get the weekly topic. As I continue to study that topic, the message that I believe He wants me to post seems to become clearer. Other times, He may impress topics from His Word as I’m reading the Bible and that will become the weekly post. People who know me know that I’m the furthest thing from a writer so if you have been even the slightest bit blessed or encouraged by STC then we can both thank God together. But this week’s topic is different. This topic God let me “live out,” in order for me to get the correct words and to stress the exact points that I feel He wants me to use. Although most of the previous articles have been born through experience, this one was created because of it. I know it sounds confusing so I’ll try to do my best to explain.

Over the past two weeks I have been busier than normal both at home and at work. I began a home improvement project that has been long overdue and finally found the time to start it about ten days ago. Now, I have the personality that once I start something, I dive right into it. I need to see it done as quickly and precisely as possible. There were a few days I worked over fourteen hours or until my back couldn’t take it any longer just to get it completed. Sadly, and here is the part that God lovingly made aware to me … I was doing all the important stuff around the house and at work but I didn’t have much time to spend alone with Him. I say this to my own shame but I spent hours dedicating myself to working and completing this project that my prayer time and my reading of the Bible went down to almost nothing. Sure, I read a chapter in the Gospels before I went to bed but honestly that was just to ease my conscious. The quality time spent with God was missing. And I felt it.

In the book of Hebrews, the writer gives us a warning regarding circumstances similar to the one I just explained. Times when simple things get in the way of the important time spent alone with God. Are these things innocent and well needed? Yes, but even the simple routines of life, if we are not careful, can become obstacles between us and God. Hebrews 12:1 (ESV) says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside EVERY WEIGHT, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” As Christians, we must understand that sin is not the only thing that can separate us from God, it can also be our “weight.” Now the weight referred to in this verse isn’t physical, it’s more of the spiritual kind and somehow it can block, interfere, and in some extreme case, totally cut us off from our relationship with God. Notice these weights aren’t sin. They can be just the average cares of our daily lives. Scary enough, and I say this very carefully, their results, like sin, can be just as deadly.

So what are these weights that are referred to in the book of Hebrews? The Greek defines the word “weight” as a burden or something so cumbersome that it impedes the runner from running the race the way he should. Notice they are not sin or the writer wouldn’t have said to lay aside “every weight” AND “sin.” Obviously, they are something totally separate. No, these weights can be more subtle which allows them easier access into our lives. These weights can come in the form of hobbies, interests, work or even family obligations. They can be anything that occupies our time and draws our interests away from the things of God. And cleverly, Satan can use these things as bait to draw us away from routinely going to God on a daily basis causing a void and weakening our spirit. They can interfere on how we run our race.

For many of us, our jobs can be a weight. The desire to get ahead and improve is never a bad thing, and is something that we should all want to achieve. But it’s all in the means you take to try to get there that can drag you down and become a weight. If advancing involves minimizing the things of God and putting work in its place, that’s where the danger comes in. If you’re compromising your looks, actions or the way you conduct yourself just to advance or fit in, you can be carrying a heavy weight. Imagine how serious and deadly weights can be that a blessing like a job that you received from God can turn into a hindrance. Routinely working extra hours in place of spending time with other believers whether at church or privately is the first step to destruction. Never minimize the importance of spending alone time with God or other Christians. When you start to do that it’s the beginning of a very slippery slope. I say this in love because I know it firsthand.

An unchecked spirit towards current events, sports, the nightly news or even politics can be a weight. 24 hour coverage of the upcoming presidential election or all day of NFL football can become an obsession. I’ve seen this play out in my own life. I’ve done “speed reading” through my Bible just to make sure I catch the Monday Night football game when sadly I spent hours the day before watching other games on TV. Now, obviously, there is nothing wrong with watching television so please excuse me if it sounds like I’m coming at this through the lenses of legalism. As Christians, Jesus gave us all the freedom we need to enjoy the very things He has given us. My point is, you can get so easily consumed by other things in place of the things of God and those things, although not sinful in itself, can become a weight in your life.

One of the biggest weights that I personally experienced is the “worries of life.” Jesus said to be very careful of these things. I stopped serving God for over twenty years not because I was caught up in some habitual sin but just from the cares of life. Wanting a better job, more money and a better place to raise my family. Noble things right? These were my weights. Jesus says in Mark 4:19 (NIV), “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word…” Trying to better your life is not a negative thing. It’s when that desire draws you away from the things of God that it becomes a weight. In order for me to obtain these things, I stopped attending the weekly prayer meetings and moved to another state where going to church consistently became more difficult. Instead of drawing nearer to God, my weight pulled me further away. And once you go far enough the devil can really have his way with you. Again, sadly I know that first hand.

The Bible says in First Timothy, that God gives us everything for our enjoyment. Sports, hobbies and family are just to name a few. Whatever it is that gives you any sort of enjoyment comes from God Himself. Sadly the devil can even use these enjoyable things given to us by God to subtly pull us away from serving Him. That’s why we must always be on guard through His Spirit so these enjoyments don’t turn into a weight.

The Bible tells us to “lay aside” these weights so that we won’t eventually be bound and ruled by them. But how is that done? How do we allow ourselves to enjoy the things God has given us but yet be very careful we aren’t controlled by them? The answer is found in the following verse of Hebrews. Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Just like a runner who stares straight at the finish line, that is the way our focus on Jesus should be. And through His power we are able to discern those things in our lives that can be self-consuming. Unfortunately, our flesh won’t allow us to regulate our own behavior. Guilt or taking a legalistic approach is never the answer either. Whenever we try to self-restrict ourselves from certain things, our flesh has a crazy desire to crave them even more. We need The Spirit’s power and wisdom to help us discern when we are being held down and eventually consumed by the weights in our lives.

Matthew 6:33 (NIV) says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be given to you as well.” God wants us, through His power, to make Him our first priority and through that all the enjoyments and pleasures He has for us will be given to us as well. The Spirit’s power will distribute all the joy, peace and fulfillment of the things in life that we love and desire.

Just Something to Consider.