Blinders

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1, NKJV

We watched the movie Secretariat last night. Have you seen it? Great movie. Loved their inclusion of “Jesus” elements, such a rare thing. My husband and I looked at each other a few times with surprise. “Are they really doing this?” Oooh, I love “seeing” Jesus in films.

Secretariat was a famous race horse. While we watched, I noticed the race horses wear blinders on either side of their eyes (forgive me if this isn’t the proper term). These “guide” their attention to straight ahead. The animals probably don’t get as spooked by the horses on either side of them. They can focus straight ahead on their goal—that finish line.

God gives us free will, but sometimes wouldn’t it be helpful to put on spiritual blinders? We wouldn’t get so caught up in:

~ competition
~ comparison
~ worry
~ appearances
~ circumstances

Let's make this our prayer: Lord, keep me focused on the finish line ahead so I can “run with endurance the race set before me.”

Don't Get Too Comfortable with Discomfort

I wear big, bulky wireless headphones to watch TV sometimes. Keeps the noise to a minimum. This morning, I turned off the television, set on getting some things done. Pulled out my phone, browsed the latest news on FB and was about to head down to my home office when I realized I still had those tight, uncomfortable headphones on. What? Hello, get those things off. I don’t have to go about my life with those on. Thank God! They pinch my ears and feel like they’re compressing my head.

I can ignore them when I’m watching because I get swept into the world of house hunting or some movie or show. But they grow increasingly uncomfortable. How I could forget I had them on, I have no idea.

Except…

I’d become comfortable with the tightness.

Immune to the discomfort.

Unaware I could be more comfortable if I just took those headphones off.

Sounds like life, doesn’t it? How often do we just learn to put up with stuff? Just learn to overlook how uncomfortable we are and get on with life anyway.

If there are areas of my life I’ve just grown used to overlooking, items that cause discomfort and that I have the ability to remove from my life, I want to do it. Doesn’t that sound like a good prayer for this new month of a new year?

All together now, Dear Lord, please help me change for the better. Show me what I don’t see now. Help me remove whatever is keeping me from freedom as You point it out. Thanks for Your heart state of wanting me free. I love You for that. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.