There are those mornings when you wake up and feel like nothing much is happening for you. You actually wonder what happens on this new day because clearly there is nothing to look forward to. There are times we go through so much discouragement and oh well, it seems easier to just give up on everything.
I have felt like this a good number of mornings this year. And I would go through the day so hopeless and discouraged and wonder where my life is really heading.
This was till I came across this scripture.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.12.1-3.NIV
So verse one tells us that there is a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. What this means is that there are so many people looking up to you with or without your knowledge. They really admire and wish they were you. Actually it could be your success is what will encourage them to pursue their destinies, so what happens to them when you give up?
The rest of that verse admonishes us to keep away from anything that may make us fall. We are actually being asked to throw off. This literally means that anything that might compromise your walk with God, anything that might lead to you being tempted should be thrown off. As in you make sure you do not allow yourself into anything that might act as a stumbling block.
The verse continues to tell us to run with perseverance the race that has been set before us. There is a race that is set before us. This race is custom made just for you. You have your own lane, and your own race. It is not like anyone else’s it is yours alone. So if you compare yourself with someone else or try to enter into their lane that is an automatic disqualification. This race takes perseverance. I have watched a number of athletics and I can tell you that it is not easy. There are times when one gets so tired, physically, mentally and even emotionally but they have to keep on going because they not only want to finish the race but they also want to win the price.
So even in your race of life and your pursuit of destiny, I assure you it won’t be easy, but you have to persevere. You have to keep on pushing. To keep on running until you attain the mark.
Verse 2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith. It is only when we look to Jesus that we will be able to win this race. Jesus Christ should be our focus. It is only him who will instruct, train and teach us on how to go about this race of life. We belong to him and only him knows our limit and potential, so we always have to fix our eyes on him and no one else.
It further gives us a practical experience of what Christ had to endure so as to eventually be glorified and seat at the right hand side of the father as King.
He went through scorn, pain, shame, opposition, being despised and eventually being crucified. He endured all this knowing the glory that awaited him. Knowing the joy that was set before him even after the suffering.
What this means is that he understands our situations more than we can ever imagine or think of. He knows what pain, discouragement, hopelessness and loss is. And this is why we are being told to look unto him. That if he overcame we can also overcome. If he won we can also win. If he was glorified we will also be glorified.
So let us consider Christ and also endure. Let us consider him and not grow weary or tired on the journey to our destinies. Let us not lose heart but rather run with perseverance and look towards the joy that will come when we have overcome.
We all have those lowly days, but let us keep the fight, let us look to Christ and let us be encouraged by the joy that awaits us when all is said and done.
Mungu wetu hutimiza maagano
Be encouraged child of God.