One of the most inspiring passages in the entire New Testament would have to be the first two verses of the twelfth chapter in Hebrews:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV)
I’m not going to make this an expositional breakdown of the entire passage. I want to just look at this from a practical standpoint. The writer of Hebrews is essentially saying this:
Don’t get weighed down or distracted. Keep your focus on Jesus.
It’s pretty much that simple.
And yet, we have more temptations and distractions now in 2025 than the people of the first century AD (or CE for the politically correct) could imagine.
The bottom line is we are called to run a race — a race that God sets before us. And that race isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. It takes focus, commitment, discipline, and perseverance. And it requires that we lay aside anything that would hold us back or derail us.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.
Before anyone gets too self-righteous, let’s show a little humility. Every one of us — myself included — can be easily distracted.
I had a frustrating conversation with a pastor friend the other day who told me about how a pastor-friend of his has shown little grace or patience with Christians who struggle with “weights” or “sins.” I’ve run into this myself in ministry, and it is deeply infuriating. We’ve got to stop shooting our wounded and start helping them. We’ve got to stop making people feel so ashamed that they can’t come forward and ask for help and prayer.
Too many evangelical and Baptist churches operate more on a “gotcha” basis when it comes to sin, policing their ranks for various infractions. I’ve tried to steer the church I serve away from that. If I’m going to err, I want it to be on the side of grace. Don’t get me wrong. I agree with accountability, but we are all human. We all fall short. We all have moments of weakness. We all need help and support.
We need much more grace and mercy in our churches than is often shown.
I’ve written about all this and more. You can look here and here. For now, let’s get back to my main point, which is…
Be aware of and watchful for the weights, temptations, and distractions.
Again, I’m not saying this from any Phariseeical or high-horse perspective. I’m speaking with you as a fellow brother in Christ who struggles also. This is simply an attempt to offer practical and helpful encouragement.
Distraction is one of the Enemy’s greatest weapons against us. We see it in the Garden of Eden and we see it in the Temptation of Jesus.
Indeed, we see it throughout the Bible.
When Moses saw the Egyptian taskmaster brutally oppress an Israelite, his anger and desire for vengeance became a distraction from God’s greater call on his life. When the children of Israel were told by the spies about the giants in the Promised Land, their fear became a distraction to God’s promise. When King David saw Bathsheba bathing, his lust became a distraction to his overall desire to follow after God’s heart.
It can be the small things too.
I once heard a pastor confess watching a show longer than he should’ve. At the time, I thought it was unnecessary. But I’ve come to see that the Enemy often majors in the minors.
Case in point: During a recent lunch break at Fuddrucker’s, something popped up on my Kindle that I should’ve ignored. Instead, I opened it, skimmed it, caught myself, and then deleted it—all within a few short minutes. It was a minor slip I’ve confessed to the Lord—but a good reminder: even brief curiosity can distract us—and if nurtured, can lead where we shouldn’t go.
More generally, there have been times (Jane will tell you) that I’ve allowed my stress to accumulate so much that it messes up my sleep, my mood, and even my health.
And don’t even get me started on how often I allow distractions to get in the way of exercising, which I desperately need to be more consistent with.
I don’t mean this to be Pastor Brian Confession Hour. But it’s often easier to use oneself as an illustration than to pick on others. I’m simply trying to show the following…
Distraction is a subtle adversary.
How often have we sat down at the computer to do one thing and we find ourselves distracted and doing something else? How many hours have we wasted on social media scrolling cat videos or time-wasting social media clickbait?
It’s not about legalism or shame. It’s about recognizing when our focus is slipping — and being humble enough to reset.
It’s the slow fades and little detours that can add up.
This is especially challenging in our modern-day world of instant access and endless content, but it’s essential we remember that discernment matters more now than ever.
We must prayerfully order our lives in such a way as to keep our focus on the Lord and to keep running the race. We need the grace and strength of God — and we need the help and encouragement of each other — to run this race successfully for the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
So let’s ask the Lord to help us shed the weights, resist the distractions, and run the race with endurance — eyes fixed on Jesus.
Thank you for Reading!
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