Weary and Limping

Yesterday, at church, the sermon really blessed me. ( Honestly, church is often one of the hardest places for me to go. I feel pressured to be everything that I am not.....

you know, happy and thriving,

instead of battleweary and bruised.)

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The passage:

Hebrews 12:1

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.

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The command for encouragement and perserverance assumes a NEED.

That means that believers can be

(and are often)

discouraged and weary.....

if it was an easy road,

an easy race,

this verse would be superfluous....

I have faith,

confidence in the Lord alone,

that his power will bring me safely to the finishline.

But it will not be the finish of the graceful runner

in perfect shape

who crosses triumphantly,

but the injured,

sick and nearly out of their mind

with exhuastion

runner who collaspes

the instant the line reached.

.

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But it will be reached,

and then,

in His presence I will know:

true bliss,

true rest and comfort,

unbroken.

Romans 15: 4

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus......