Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…

Throughout 2011, many of us have dealt with issues, people, situations that still have one proverbial foot in your life with less than two weeks left in the year.

We’ve tried to shake it off, get him/her out of our minds, hearts, LIFE yet they’re still there. Lingering.

We’ve wanted to just DO that thing in our heads to  expand or even start a new business, but the fear of the possibilities leaves us wanting more.

What is it that keeps us from doing, getting, gaining more?

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that easily beset us. Now, what may be lingering in our lives might not be sin, but you can replace [sin] with any noun you’d like.

Two things about this scripture:

1. Beset means to prevent, obstruct, constrict, easily entangling.

What is it that is preventing you, obstructing, you easily entangling you from moving forward?

What I loved the MOST about this translation is that it says easily. Those things that are comfortable, familiar, that we’re used to can be the very thing that entangles us, keeps us from pursing God’s best for our lives.

2. …let us lay aside every weight… When we are trying to get free from those lingering nouns in our lives, we have to be INTENTIONAL! This part of the scripture TELLS us to do something “lay aside”. If I take my cell phone and lay it on my bed, I had to move, put something behind my intentions, and take the phone from one place to the next.

How is this any different in our own walk? We must be intentional to lay aside every weight, do it with purpose, leaving the passive living behind us.

As 2011 comes to a close, what will you lay aside? What will you put action to in order to bring a close to lingering people or situations who have no place in your life for 2012? What will it take for you to put action behind a dream, desire, a plan that you’ve passively let linger throughout 2011?

You have the power to change your situation. You have the power to overcome the feelings and thoughts that are contrary to God’s best for your life! You have the chance to bring to an end to any situation that has not given you its best! You have the chance to actively pursue those things that can offer you more out of life!

You can do it! We can do it!

Here’s to 2012!

Alisha L.