Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
The Christian race is not for the swift or the strong, but for those who are willing to walk with Christ, with a steady and even tread. We are indeed living in a fast-paced world where everything is "On-demand" and because of this we pride ourselves in getting things done in the shortest amount of time possible. But when it comes to the Christian race the approach must be different, for the work of salvation is the work of a lifetime, and often we may find that the sins and indulgences of our past experiences, are very stubborn, and try to resist being uprooted by the Holy Ghost.
This is especially true of those cherished sins of the past which come back at times to haunt us, tugging at our heart-strings and begging for re-admittance. A times like these we need to pray without ceasing, that the omnipotent power of God may deliver us from foes within and foes without, lest we find ourselves retrogressing back into the ways of the world, from which we were rescued. We may sometimes be dissatisfied with the pace of the work that is taking place in our hearts, but God knows no haste or delay, and that's why the above passage teaches us the necessity of running with patience, which seems ironical, since a race is supposed to be primarily about speed.
When the apostle Paul was warned by a prophet of the Lord that the Jews at Jerusalem will do him great harm, he then insisted on going, stating that he was ready to die for the cause of Christ. And while that was true, yet the statement was probably made in haste, based upon his strong feelings for the newly formed church of Christ, and because of this, it is possible that his ministry could have been prematurely cut short. We may never know, but from his own experience we can indeed take away very valuable lessons as it pertains to running the Christian race with patience.
No matter how strong our feelings may be for the cause of Christ, and no matter how wildly enthusiastic and fired up we may be about overcoming sin, it is important for us to always let God have His own way in our lives, being willing to humbly follow where He leads the way, and never rushing ahead of Him in doing anything that pertains to godliness and virtue. Peter also stated that he was ready to die for Christ, but there were still some elements in his nature that needed to be overcome, before he could walk in the blood-stained path. And we too in our own experiences may feel that we are fit and ready to do all of God's bidding, while as yet we still retain serious flaws in our characters, by which the enemy can seek our overthrow.
It is never a good thing to try to advise God in the work of salvation, nor is it recommended that we stipulate to Him what needs to be done at this very moment in the process of our growth and development, for He has taken full charge of our lives, and our salvation will be completed if we cooperate with Him at every step of the way. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that teaches us the importance of waiting upon God for everything, knowing that in the fullness of time, all that needs to take place in our lives will occur at the right time, if we learn to wait upon Him. Let's read:
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!