Monday, April 18, 2011

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Lay aside every weight

"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..." (Hebrews 12:1)

Dear Friend,

I don't know what you have been going through lately. I don't know what has been troubling your mind. I don't know how big is your problem. I don't know what is holding you back, stopping you from achieving your goals. I don't know who is standing on your way, trying to pull you down, making your life miserable. All I know is that God loves you, He cares for you and He is a faithful God.

My friend, I think now is the time you need to take a moment and fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In the midst of your stressful issues just remember that Jesus is waiting for you to turn your eyes to Him. He has heard your cries. He has heard your prayers. He knows what you need right now and He shall supply for all your needs. He will take you out of your misery. But He needs you to turn your eyes to Him. David understood this very well when He said, "My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net," (Psalm 25:15).

God is pleased when we keep our eyes on Him and we cannot please God without faith. The writer of the book of Hebrews illustrated how several men of God - the cloud of witnesses - pleased God with their faith. The key to this is to know that God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

There it is my friend; in the midst of your distress, just seek the Lord diligently. It's time to lay aside every weight that you are carrying and lay aside the sin that easily ensnares us - that is the sin of unbelief or lack of faith. If you know that God has heard your prayers, believe that He will respond in due time and lay aside all your worries.

The Macmillan dictionary defines lay aside as not to let yourself think or be influenced by something so that you can achieve an aim. Our aim is to run with endurance the race that is set before us. My friend, do you remember the Apostle Paul telling his spiritual son Timothy that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith? That is exactly what God expects from you. He is the one to fulfill His purpose for you, all you have to do is to lay aside every weight and focus on Him.

It does not matter what tomorrow brings, but all you have to do is to lay aside every weight you are carrying. Actually just throw it to God and and do what He wants you to do. Stop worrying about it. Listen to Paul when he was talking to the Ephesian elders;

"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God," (Acts 20:22-23).

My dear friend, I write this letter because I love you. This comes from the depths of my heart. I have been there myself but God has taught me to lay aside every weight and do what He wants me to do. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you," (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). The more I focus on doing His work, the more He is sorting out my problems. 

It's time you lay aside every weight and fix your eyes on Him!

With love from above,

Stanley

No comments:

Post a Comment