Entangled

Runners who want to win a race must couple natural abilities with all the necessary preparation of training, exercising, and developing their minds, bodies, and emotions.

They wear special clothing designed to minimize resistance and run with optimal speed. They learn to take off quickly and maintain the ideal pace throughout each race. And they remove every kind of impediment, anything that might slow them down and keep them from performing their best.

The same principle applies in our spiritual lives. Like winning runners, we need to be aware of the things that could “entangle” us and can trip us up or ensnare us.

How do we get in trouble? How do we find ourselves straying from the right path? Doing things we wish we wouldn’t do? Saying the wrong things? Thinking the wrong thoughts? Often this happens because of our entanglements.

But these entanglements can have a more practical impact. These things can slow us down, distract us, and complicate our lives. In the process, they can occupy more of our attention than our godly ideals. We don’t see as clearly and even can pursue the wrong goals.

Anyone can become entangled in many different ways. The Bible reminds us to be sensitive to anything that entangles us and to be willing to lay it aside, so we can run our race “with endurance.”

Are you entangled? Ask God to help you be free!