| Any sprint hurdler needs to overcome ten stumbling blocks in order to reach the finishing line. 2 Timothy 4:7 says, 'I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith'. Paul has finished the race, but not without stretching over a few hurdles along the way. To run your race, here are's some examples of stumbling blocks you'll need to hurdle:
1) Pride. Whether it's a superiority complex you're carrying, or you tend to be self-sufficient rather than God-sufficient, pride is a hurdle waiting to trip you up. The antidote? 'With humility... regard one another as more important than yourselves' (Phil. 2:3 NAS).
2) Insecurity. Wobbly in our emotions and shaky in our identity, insecurity is like a hurdle we can clatter into. How do we clear it? By finding our worth in God and nothing else. 'What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference' (2 Cor. 10:18 TM).
3) Negativity. Saying 'no' to life can drain the goodness out of it. Looking through grimy spectacles makes the world seem grubby. Galatians 6:5 says, 'Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life' (TM). We leap over the negativity hurdle by saying 'yes' each day to God's beautiful life.
What about you? Make a list of stumbling blocks you struggle to clear, then ask God to provide situations where you can practice your hurdling technique. |
