Running. (To all my friends who know me well....quit laughing)

I went running last week. Okay, okay....jogging. For two minutes. But particulars aside, the concept is still grasped. I did something productive for my health! I had my phone in one hand, and my itouch/earbuds in the other. Clenching tightly to both, I eased into a light run. 

Do you know what I immediately noticed? It's significantly harder to run when you're holding onto bulky things! 

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us"  Hebrews 12:1 quickly came to mind as I ran. 

Just as it's hard to run when you have weights on you (or phones in your hand!), it's hard to run this race of faith when sins are weighing us down. My feet slammed against the asphalt as I pondered what sins might be besetting me and holding me back from giving my all to Christ. 

Jealousy. The first one instantly popped into my mind. Why do I so easily comply with this sin and allow it to burden me down and effect my walk with Christ? Just like holding my itouch discouraged me from running my hardest, my sins add that extra weight to my life and keep me from running with patience the race that God has marked out for me! 

My run reminded me of the severity and determent of the sins in my life. Praise the Lord that He is faithful to forgive and accepts a repentant heart!! HE is the One who gives the grace to lay aside every sin!