Got Hindrances? Hand 'em Over

In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, Dawn Wilson invites us to deal with "weights" and hindrances biblically.

I was in a real tug-of-war at the AT & T store. I loved the quirks in my old phone, even though I kept running into problems.

So I asked the store clerk, "Can't we just add some bells and whistles to this one?"

"No, ma'am," the clerk said with a grin. "You have to stop using the old phone to get a new one."

I glanced down at my phone, still thinking. My husband rolled his eyes.

The clerk prompted, "Come on, hand it over."

I did get a new phone, and love it now. Why did I struggle with the change?

Same thing happened at the hair salon. With my 1980s hairstyle.

"Can't we just tweak it a little?" I asked my patient hairdresser.

"No, Girlfriend," she said. "This style's not doing you any good. We need to start over!"

Unfortunately, this pattern continues into my spiritual life.

Sometimes I try to bargain with the Lord. "Is this really so bad?" "Maybe I can hang on to this little bit?" "Can't you just add some spiritual growth to this other part of my life?"

And I hear a quiet invitation: "Come on ... hand it over."

Sometimes I hear words of grace: "You're forgiven. Now let's start over."

You would think I'd learn by now.

When the Holy Spirit asks for something, it's because He wants something better for us. He wants us to be more like Jesus.

There are so many hindrances that can take us away from God's best.

Maybe it's overt sin. Maybe it's something we love more than the Lord. (It's called an idol.) Perhaps it's a good thing - even something others might praise - but we know deep in our hearts it's not what God desires ... for us.

In recent days, the Lord has asked me to "hand over" some entertainment that didn't honor Him ... willful eating habits ... prideful thought patterns. He wants me to move on toward holiness, discipline and humility.

But I have to be honest. Sometimes I just get plumb tired of my struggles with sin; and on a day when I was especially frustrated after willfully choosing something after He gave me a surrendered "way out," God's words gave me direction.

"... let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith ... Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

I saw both commands and encouragement to Christ-followers:

1. Lay aside every "weight" - every hindrance.

We lay them aside by handing them over to the Lord. We must stop justifying or rationalizing these hindrances and see them for what they are. They are enemies to following Christ. They are enemies to becoming all that God intends us to be.

Weights might be little things that get in the way of our spiritual growth, something from our past that hasn't been dealt with biblically, or even leglistic baggage (not living in grace) (Colossians 2:8, 13-14).  

2. Cast off those "clingy" sins.

Those sins we are most comfortable with are the sins we tend to coddle. They seem to fit us like tailored clothing. They cling to us like fog on a dark night. God calls us to step outside our shadowy "comfort zones" of sin and into the light of righteousness. Paul says, "do not let sin reign ... sin shall no longer be your master" (Romans 6:12, 14). Got hindering sins? Hand them over!

3. Run with endurance.

Sometimes we forget we're in a race of faith and faithfulness. When we trust Christ, we signed up to follow Him forever. Paul described this in Philippians 3:13 and 2 Timothy 4:7.  

The race is part of the deal. We can't sit on the sidelines. And we're not to run aimlessly; we're to run to win!

4. Look to Jesus.

He's our model. We can "gaze on His glory and be transformed into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). As Jesus trusted His Father, He chose righteousness over sin and obeyed, even to the point of embracing the cross to be our Savior. In His resurrection, we are free from the power of sin and death.

By faith, we also can obey the Word and Spirit of God. We can please the Father and live holy lives. Jesus is both the author and sustainer of our spiritual transformation.

5. Stay strong and faithful!

Our strength and endurance are not something we can drum up at will. Even if we start out with our own will power, we can't sustain it for long. God is our Source, and we need to recognized that. The Psalmist prayed, "Keep your servant also from willful sins ... Direct my footsteps according to your word" (Psalm 19:13; 119:133).

We cannot live a holy life apart from the Lord. But in Him and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live the resurrection life. The glorious truth is, we will win the race. We will triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Do you want to UPGRADE your spiritual growth? Confess and lay aside ANYthing that hinders your walk with Jesus!

What hinders or encumbers you in the race of faith?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM San Diego). She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.