Sometimes we stand in line with other people and get busy talking or looking at our phones and the line has moved, but we haven’t. It’s that way in lines or at traffic lights and it’s that way in life. The horn blowing behind us makes us look up and take off again, or the person behind us may bump us to get us going again. The thing is, you need to keep moving in your faith and walk with God. Yes, there are things that get our attention and cause us to stop and spiritually pause longer than we should. There are other things that we just need to put down because it’s not helping us move on. Every follower of Christ should learn to repeatedly lay things to the side that are not helping us follow Christ. We find that practice in Hebrews 12.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, 2 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 sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.“
John Piper was the preacher who said, “The lowest question a person can ask when determining to continue a specific action is, “What’s wrong with it?” He said the greater question to ask is, “Does it help me run?” So, is there anything in your life that’s hindering your walk/run with God, and if so, don’t you think you should lay it aside?
You will continue to be handed things in life, and the Bible teaches us to evaluate each thing and to faithfully practice laying things aside. Many things we have to lay aside are good things, not harmful or hurtful or even sinful, they are just not spiritual catalysts. Your faith in God as a follower of Christ means you must keep moving forward. Since Jesus is constantly moving forward, following means moving forward.