Friend, you need to lay aside every weight. You need to travel light. In our walk with God, there are weights, and there are besetting sins (Hebrews 12:1-2). Sometimes, the weight is not a sin, but it would slow you down. There are some kinds of food that athletes don’t eat. It would constitute a weight that would affect their effectiveness (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
A while back, I was preparing for a trip and noticed some unnecessary items in my car. As I cleared them out, my wife asked why I was doing that. I replied, ‘I have to travel light.’ Those simple words struck a chord within me, and I realized they held a deeper truth about life and destiny. To go far and fulfil my purpose, I need to shed the weights that hold me back.
What are those weights that are slowing you down and reducing your effectiveness (Hosea 7:8-9)? Why are you not travelling light? Anyone who would travel light must avoid offences. Offences are a weight that would trip you off. They would insulate you from the power of God. They would short-circuit the flow of grace in your life (Matthew 11:1-6).
Don’t carry the luggage from your past. If you don’t know how to deal with your past, your past will deal with you (2 Corinthians 5:17). You need to stop revisiting it. Everyone has a past, including the devil. It is only God who has no past. Like Paul, learn to forget the past, good or bad, and forge ahead into your future (Philippians 3:10-14).
Those who must travel light must not meddle in other people’s matters (1 Thessalonians 4:11). You cannot be checking what others are doing while still focused on your assignment. Run your race and wish others well. Like Jesus, be bold enough to reject any call to meddle in matters that have no relevance with your assignment (Luke 12:13-15).
Don’t overload your spirit and mind with unnecessary things (Proverbs 18:14). Let your heart and mind be free enough to connect with God and also think clearly. If your mind is too clogged with every social media post or gist, you are carrying unnecessary weight (Proverbs 4:23). Successful people have learnt the wisdom of managing what goes into their mind daily.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria