Ankle Weights

Have you ever tried to play soccer with weights strapped to your legs?

Earlier this year, during the soccer season, my coach told us to bring ankle weights to practice one night. We did everything we would normally do, like jogging around the field a few times and running suicides and playing a scrimmage game, only wearing ankle weights. At first it was OK, but then we kept running... and kept running... and our legs became increasingly heavier.

At the end of practice we played a scrimmage game. Only minutes in, I felt like collapsing. I could barely lift my legs, much less run and kick and actually play soccer. I couldn't play my position or help my team. I couldn't even think about trying to perform well. All my strength and concentration was focused on moving, which, usually, is the easy part.

I could not perform. I could barely keep running. I was exhausted.

"... let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." (Hebrews 12:1)

Lay aside every weight.

A weight is not a sin. A weight could be a good thing in your life. Why would you ever want to lay aside a good thing? Something you enjoy? Because a weight is a weight, and when you're running a race that requires endurance, ankle weights are the last things you need.

When you try to run without laying aside the weights- when you convince yourself that you can drag the weights along without slowing down- you become exhausted. You can't obey well, you can't serve others well, and you can't grow well. You can't run with endurance when all your strength is being sapped. You can't run when you're exhausted.

It's crazy to me how difficult it can be to lay aside a weight, but it's sacrificing the good for the best. Jesus is the only true source of pleasure and satisfaction. No matter how much you love the weight, Jesus is better. Jesus is best.

It's also crazy to me how easy and joyful it is to run once the weight is gone. In my soccer practice, when we actually took off the ankle weights, it was ridiculously easy and even fun to run around and kick the ball. Seriously. I felt like a gazelle, or a superhuman, or a supergazelle!

Are you trying to drag ankle weights toward the finish line? Lay them aside. Look to Jesus. Run with endurance. He will give you grace and strength.