What Has You?

“But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” (Matthew 19:22 NLT)

What’s holding you back? I’m reminded of Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Why do you think the writer mentions “the sin that so easily trips us up.”

Each of us wrestles daily, sometimes moment by moment, with things we have or, perhaps, wished we had. We have health, but the fear of losing it restricts us and prevents us from risking anything that may threaten our health. We have money but are tormented by “what ifs.”  What if I lose my job? What if the market dries up?

We have a house we dearly love but can’t have anyone over for fear someone will damage something or in some way mess it up or destroy the “perfection” we’ve worked so hard to achieve. Perhaps it’s a hobby or sport in which we’ve so deeply invested ourselves, the thought of not being able to do it nearly cripples us with fear.

Even our walk with Jesus can sometimes cause us such angst that rather than engage our family, friends, neighbors and others in conversation about our faith in Christ, the fear of doing or saying something “wrong” cripples us from sharing Jesus with anyone.

There are many other examples we could use, but the point is, we don’t have those things, they have us and the common denominator is fear. We so quickly forget John’s helpful words in chapter 4:16-18 in his first letter where he wrote: “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.”

In the verse at the top of the page from Matthew 19, it became evident very quickly that the “young man” didn’t have riches, they had him. Even though intellectually and spiritually he was able to see his great need of Jesus, he was crippled by the fear of having to give up what held him so tightly.

What has you? What is it in your life that’s restricting you, holding you back from being all the Lord would have you be? In this season of my life the Lord is giving me insight into why someone with a debilitating disease can be so entangled by fear of what might happen in the future, they miss what God has for them in this moment.

The reality is, each of us, from newborn to senior, has only this moment in which to live. The last moment is gone, and we have no promise of the next, yet we fret and fear by borrowing troubles from the future that only cause us anguish in the only moment we have to live faithfully and fruitfully for our Savior.

Please focus your thoughts on Jesus and His will and desire for you IN THIS MOMENT! Let Him take care of whatever the future may hold. Whatever has you in this season of your life, surrender it to Jesus while you can.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊