Day 1: The Necessity of Stripping Off Every Weight
The call to run with endurance requires intentional preparation. Before the race can truly begin, there is a need to identify and lay aside anything that would hinder progress. This is not merely about discarding sin, but also about evaluating the other burdens we carry. These weights, while not always inherently bad, can slow us down and prevent us from stepping into all God has for us. It is a process of sanctification, making us ready for what is ahead.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up, and let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
Reflection: As you consider the new season God is leading you into, what is one specific "weight" – perhaps a commitment, a habit, or a mindset – that you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to lay aside so you can run more freely?
Day 2: When Good Things Become a Heavy Burden
Not every weight is a result of overt sin. Often, the things that hold us back are good and fruitful activities from a previous season. God frequently transitions His people, and with each new season, our focus and assignments can change. Holding tightly to something God once blessed, but is no longer His will for this moment, can prevent us from receiving the new thing He wants to do. We must be willing to release the old to make room for the new.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
Reflection: Can you identify a "good thing" in your life – a ministry, a project, or a responsibility – that was fruitful in the past but may now be consuming energy God wants to redirect toward His new assignment for you?
Day 3: The Danger of Becoming Distracted and Demanding
When our doing for God pulls us away from simply being with God, we have lost our way. This misalignment often leads to a critical and demanding spirit, much like Martha who was offended that her sister was sitting at Jesus' feet. We can become so focused on our own efforts that we begin to demand God bless our plans, rather than seeking His. This is a clear sign that our priorities need to be recalibrated according to His will, not our own.
“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
Luke 10:41-42 (NLT)
Reflection: In what area of your life have you recently felt a sense of frustration or offense towards others, and how might that indicate a distraction from the "one thing" that is most important?
Day 4: The Primacy of Your Relationship with Christ
Your first and most important ministry is to the Lord Himself. This relationship must hold the primary place in your life, above all other relationships and assignments. Everything else—your service, your family, your work—must flow from the health of this connection. Widening the gap between your love for Jesus and everything else is not about diminishing other things, but about elevating Him to His rightful place, trusting that from that place, you will love and serve others best.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.”
Psalm 73:25 (NLT)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to "widen the gap" and intentionally prioritize your personal connection with Jesus above all other good things in your life?
Day 5: Abiding in the Vine to Bear Authentic Fruit
Fruit does not grow on a disconnected branch. Sustainable ministry and life flow from abiding in Christ, remaining in His presence and drawing life from Him. Without this connection, we become spiritually hollow, drained, and unable to produce the authentic fruit that lasts. The call is to simplicity: to return to the one necessary thing—sitting at the feet of Jesus. From that place of connection, we find the refreshment and guidance needed for the race ahead.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NLT)
Reflection: How would you describe the current state of your connection to Jesus, the True Vine, and what would it look like for you to more intentionally "abide" in Him this week?
The call to run with endurance requires intentional preparation. Before the race can truly begin, there is a need to identify and lay aside anything that would hinder progress. This is not merely about discarding sin, but also about evaluating the other burdens we carry. These weights, while not always inherently bad, can slow us down and prevent us from stepping into all God has for us. It is a process of sanctification, making us ready for what is ahead.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up, and let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
Reflection: As you consider the new season God is leading you into, what is one specific "weight" – perhaps a commitment, a habit, or a mindset – that you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to lay aside so you can run more freely?
Day 2: When Good Things Become a Heavy Burden
Not every weight is a result of overt sin. Often, the things that hold us back are good and fruitful activities from a previous season. God frequently transitions His people, and with each new season, our focus and assignments can change. Holding tightly to something God once blessed, but is no longer His will for this moment, can prevent us from receiving the new thing He wants to do. We must be willing to release the old to make room for the new.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
Reflection: Can you identify a "good thing" in your life – a ministry, a project, or a responsibility – that was fruitful in the past but may now be consuming energy God wants to redirect toward His new assignment for you?
Day 3: The Danger of Becoming Distracted and Demanding
When our doing for God pulls us away from simply being with God, we have lost our way. This misalignment often leads to a critical and demanding spirit, much like Martha who was offended that her sister was sitting at Jesus' feet. We can become so focused on our own efforts that we begin to demand God bless our plans, rather than seeking His. This is a clear sign that our priorities need to be recalibrated according to His will, not our own.
“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
Luke 10:41-42 (NLT)
Reflection: In what area of your life have you recently felt a sense of frustration or offense towards others, and how might that indicate a distraction from the "one thing" that is most important?
Day 4: The Primacy of Your Relationship with Christ
Your first and most important ministry is to the Lord Himself. This relationship must hold the primary place in your life, above all other relationships and assignments. Everything else—your service, your family, your work—must flow from the health of this connection. Widening the gap between your love for Jesus and everything else is not about diminishing other things, but about elevating Him to His rightful place, trusting that from that place, you will love and serve others best.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.”
Psalm 73:25 (NLT)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to "widen the gap" and intentionally prioritize your personal connection with Jesus above all other good things in your life?
Day 5: Abiding in the Vine to Bear Authentic Fruit
Fruit does not grow on a disconnected branch. Sustainable ministry and life flow from abiding in Christ, remaining in His presence and drawing life from Him. Without this connection, we become spiritually hollow, drained, and unable to produce the authentic fruit that lasts. The call is to simplicity: to return to the one necessary thing—sitting at the feet of Jesus. From that place of connection, we find the refreshment and guidance needed for the race ahead.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NLT)
Reflection: How would you describe the current state of your connection to Jesus, the True Vine, and what would it look like for you to more intentionally "abide" in Him this week?