Today’s Verse:
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
“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.”
Running Your Race When Life Feels Heavy
This verse hits me because it doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It admits what a lot of us deal with: life gets heavy. Sometimes it’s sin, sometimes it’s stress, sometimes it’s the past, sometimes it’s anxiety, depression, or just feeling worn out from trying to hold everything together.
And what I love is that it doesn’t just say “throw off sin.” It says “throw off everything that hinders.” That matters, because not everything that weighs us down is technically sin… but it can still slow us down and mess with our peace.
For me, “hindrances” can look like:
- carrying guilt way longer than I should
- beating myself up in my own head
- letting fear make decisions for me
- isolating when I need support
- getting stuck replaying old moments like they’re happening right now
This verse is basically telling me: drop the weight. Not because I’m weak, but because God never expected me to run this race chained up.
“A Great Cloud of Witnesses”
That part encourages me too. It reminds me that I’m not the first person to struggle, and I’m not the first person who’s needed God to help them keep going.
It’s like the Bible is saying, “You’ve got people who’ve already been through hard things, and they made it. And you can too.”
Some days I need that reminder, because life can feel lonely even when people are around. But faith reminds me I’m not unseen.
The Word for Today: Perseverance
This verse doesn’t say “run with perfection.” It says run with perseverance.
Perseverance is what you do when you don’t feel strong.
Perseverance is what you do when your emotions are all over the place.
Perseverance is what you do when you want to quit, but you still take the next step anyway.
And that’s real life. That’s recovery. That’s healing. That’s growth.
Sometimes the win isn’t a big moment. Sometimes the win is just: I didn’t give up today.
A Simple Challenge for Today
Here’s my question for myself today:
What’s one thing I can let go of today so I can breathe and move forward?
Not everything at once. Just one thing. One thought. One habit. One weight.
Because I can’t run free if I keep holding on to what’s holding me back.
Short Prayer
Lord, help me drop what’s weighing me down. Help me run the race You set for me with perseverance. Remind me I’m not alone. Amen.
— Josh Bridges
YOU {R} NOT ALONE YOU HAVE A VOICE! 