When In Doubt… Run Baby Run!
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Run away… Run with… Run to!
Run with ENDURANCE…
This last week I had a “Blast from the Past“… “Hit Me With It’s Best Shot” … and … for a moment, I was transported back to the days where panic was my middle name. Jesus Christ IS my “Superstar” and I am His “Freak (Out)“, but something (probably the sibling reunion scheduled this week) punched my button and the tapes in my head blared all my “Oldies But Goodies BADDIES“.
I admit I wasn’t prepared! I had ALMOST forgotten the things my head USED TO scream to my heart and and my heart USED TO hang on my wall of truth. I forgot that the Holy Spirit spent days years working with me to remove the Art of Lies in my life, put them on God’s holy altar, and watch them burn and His holy breath blow them away.
For a moment, I was whirling in the dance of doubt and despair that was a favorite “It’s My Party” tune.
Every encumbrance of my life before Jesus came, SEEMED to flood in with the doubt that I had changed (or been changed) AT ALL! Every sin I am so easily tempted by, SEEMED to entangle me to the point of despair!
I was SHOCKED! Who knew the tape recorder still existed? I figured it went the way of the lies… (ashes in the wind). It still worked! Not only the player/recorder, but my heart evidently hoarded a secret stash of the tapes. The button that was pushed and the trigger that pushed it, was remarkably able to “Turn the Radio On“.
Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatian, who (or what) has bewitched you?
I was bewitched by the idea I no longer needed to discipline my thoughts and heart. I was bewitched, thinking that I had no part to play in my cardio fitness – God would DO all of that FOR ME! I had long ago LEARNED the lessons of Doubt Management… one and done… on to the next exciting lesson.
“Aha!” moment…
Doubt, and its destructive fruit, despair, is a continual and consistent weapon of our enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 Be on the alert.
I had become complacent lazy in my overall spiritual fitness,
But God… Who is never finished disciplining (holy making) His favorite child… disciplines us for our good (NOT punishment), so that we may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:10)… For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines (Hebrews 12:6).
I have NEVER been a runner! So, running the race set before us, WITH ENDURANCE, seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful.
Yet to those who have been trained by it… ALL discipline… yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11)
This week I got a refresher course in mind and body health care… I joined the great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us.
I laid aside every encumbrance… MY Party – both pity and pleasure!… and the sin which so easily entangles us… listening and obeying the false gods and their master, Satan.
I fixed my eyes on Jesus… the author and perfecter of faith.
I watched and learned… Who for the joy set before Him… endured the cross, despising the shame… and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I turned OFF the recorder! I ran AWAY…
I focused my eyes on my Personal Trainer! I ran WITH…
I went back to the Altar of God with those doubting tapes! Faithfully, the Holy Spirit burned them and blew them away! I ran TO…
I could say I won’t forget (barring any senior moments) this discipline again… but that is probably the same lie the enemy used to hide his weapon for future use in my life.
I will say… running is good…
For the sake of my mental and cardio spiritual health… I will say… I AM A RUNNER!
Still building up to ENDURANCE!
Run, Baby Run!
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible