Coffee and Jesus

When I read about the great men and women of faith in Hebrews 11, I’m in awe of their dedication, courage, and submission to Jesus. I put them on a pedestal of faith—like the spiritual Hall of Fame.

But in Hebrews 12:1-3, we’re actually cheered on to live those same lives of faith. Just like Moses, Abraham, Sarah, and Rahab, we have chains of sin that trip us up and keep us from running the race God has for us. Think spiritual shoelaces coming untied at the worst possible moment.

Because of my sin, I hold back and kind of shuffle through my day like I’m in spiritual sweatpants. But I need to confess my sin to God and throw it away—toss it out like the mystery leftovers in the back of the fridge. My sin doesn’t define who I am; it keeps me from being whom God created me to be.

And when my faith is weak, and I start questioning the race God has for me, I have to rely on Jesus to keep me going. He endured the pain, shame, and agony of the cross and won the battle over sin and death. He didn’t just crawl over the finish line—He won decisively.

Because of this, I can make it through discouragement, attacks from people, pity parties, loneliness, and doubt. He won so that I can lace up my spiritual running shoes (the ones I promise I’ll use more this week) and run the race God has for me.

So grab that cup of coffee—maybe the second or third one—and consider what path God has for you today. Just don’t spill it while you’re running.

Reflection question:

What “chain” or entangling sin is slowing your race with God right now, and what is one step you can take today to confess it and lean on Jesus for strength?