Let us strip off every weight that slows us down.

Hebrews 12:1

Sometimes the weight that slows us down is the stuff behind us. Regrets, shame, and guilt from mistakes in our past keep us stuck in the past. And they keep us from growing in life and in our faith. All that ugliness follows us around, reminding us of our failures, and it makes it hard to keep our eyes on Jesus. It keeps our minds reliving the moments we wish had played out differently. But regret, shame, and guilt are never from the Lord. They are tools of the enemy, and his goal is to keep us stuck there, where we will be of little use to God’s Kingdom. We move forward in our faith when we stop looking back. Jesus keeps no record of our past mistakes…we shouldn’t either. 

Sometimes the weight is the burden of expectations we place on ourselves. It’s the fear of failure, the uncertainty of the future, the dread of making the wrong choices. God doesn’t want us living our lives overly focused on the future. Because when we excessively plan our futures, when we strive and pursue those plans, we leave Him completely out of the picture. He doesn’t want us worrying about what may happen tomorrow or next week or the next decade. Because no one knows what the future will bring, and thinking about the future, just creates anxiety. When we let our minds rush ahead of us into the scary places that make us tremble, there is no benefit. There is no peace.

If you are imprisoned by your past or panicked about your future, you will be too preoccupied to meet God in the present. And it’s in His presence that peace is found! He meets you right where you are. That’s where you will learn and grow in your faith! That’s where you will become fruitful. So stay present and focus your heart on God! Then watch for the everyday blessings, the moments of deep connection, and the confirmation that He is active in your life. You are loved!