Thursday, November 13 Throw off every weight.​—Heb. 12:1.

[Áine]

Thursday, November 13

Throw off every weight.—Heb. 12:1.

 

The Bible compares our life as Christians to a race. The runners who successfully cross the finish line are rewarded with everlasting life. (2 Tim. 4:7, 8) We need to make every effort to keep on running, especially because the finish line is closer than ever. The apostle Paul identified what will help us to win the race. He directed us to “throw off every weight and . . . run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Did Paul mean that there was no load a Christian should carry? No, that was not his point. Rather, he meant that we need to get rid of every unnecessary weight. This type of weight could hinder us and cause us to tire out. To endure, we must quickly identify and discard any unnecessary weight that could slow us down. At the same time, however, we do not want to cast aside loads that we should carry. Otherwise, we could disqualify ourselves from the race.—2 Tim. 2:5. w23.08 26 ¶1-2

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The life of a Christian takes steady effort, and Paul’s picture of a runner makes the point clear: you can’t move well if you’re carrying things you don’t need. Some burdens come with the territory — responsibility, compassion, the work Jehovah gives us — and those are worth holding onto. But other things creep in quietly and start to drag on us: habits, distractions, worries that take more than they give. The closer we get to the finish, the more important it becomes to notice what’s weighing us down and let it go, so we can keep moving with the strength and purpose Jehovah wants for us.