Not why! But what next?

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, 3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up. 4 In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  (Hebrews 12:1-4 CSB)

I love to read the same Scripture passage in different versions of the Bible.  Everytime I read a passage, I see the Scripture passage in a different view.  Personally, I have read this passage in Hebrews an uncountable amount of times.  But when I read it in the Message, my eyes were really opened to the depths of this passage.

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!  Hebrews 12:1-3 (MSG)

WOW!  Let me just let you in on my thoughts after I read this in the Message.

There are people cheering me on?

Am I carrying around weights that I don’t need to carry?

Am I studying how Jesus ran the race?

How do I respond when I am flagging in my faith?  

Do I endure cross, shame, whatever?

Am I allowing adrenaline in my soul?

Until God allows us to take our final breath, we are running a race.  It is called life!  Life has ups and downs.  It has joys and it has pain.  How do I run the race of life?  Do I do it the way God would want me to?  What happens when my faith is weak?  Do I look to Him the author and finisher of my faith or do I wallow in pity?  Do I pattern my life after Jesus’ or do I complain that Jesus isn’t at work in my life?

I don’t know about you but I have ran this race of life well at times and then there are those other times, that I have not run this race well.  There are times when I know God is in control and His grace is sufficient.  There are times when I think I have more than I can bear; God surely must not see nor care.  You see in those moments when I have not done life well, it’s because my eyes have lost focus!  Instead of my eyes focused on Him, they are focused on me.  I’m stuck in a pit of pity, asking God why.  When struggles come, instead of asking God why, ask Him what next?

Instead of asking God...

--why does my checking account always look depleted, ask Him what He is going to do next with the little that you have?

--why do struggles overwhelm me, ask Him what He is going to do next with your life amidst the struggles?

--why I never feel good enough, ask Him what He is going to do next to bring you into a right view of who you are in Him?

--why He seems silent, ask Him what He is going to teach you next in the silence?

Whatever circumstance you find yourself in today, let’s be diligent about asking what next instead of why!  And not only for ourselves, but may we take opportunities today to lead others to ask what next God instead of why.

--Karen Smith