"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also, lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..."
Hebrews 12:1-2

Have you ever looked at a directory in a mall or amusement park and seen an arrow or some other marker that said "You Are Here"? Think of yourself today at such a place. But our Scripture gives us an admonition to move on.

'Let us run' (not stand still) 'with endurance' unhindered. Both the Old and the New Testaments give us some examples of hindrances to our spiritual progress as we see in the following:
*Worldly allurements prevented the escape of Lot's wife.
"But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
Genesis 19:26  (Christ is our treasure and with a single eye we focus on
Him.)

*The attempt to use the equipment of Saul delayed David (only briefly).
"And David fastened his sword to his armor, and he tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, 'I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.' So David took them off." 1 Samuel 17:39 (Do we look to others for solutions or do we seek our Lord's wisdom and
guidance?)

*Discouragement brought opposition to building the wall of Jerusalem.
"Then Judah said, 'The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.'" Nehemiah 4:10 (Looking at the circumstances instead of keeping our eyes on Christ causes one to be discouraged and weak.)

*Worldly possessions kept back the rich young man from becoming one of Jesus' disciples.
"Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me.'
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Matthew 19:21-22 (A desire for worldly treasures focuses on ones wants and not on the desire for God's will to be done in our lives.)

*Imaginary hindrances (fears of something that may never happen) often cause a Believer to hesitate moving forward. Concerning the women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus on that first Easter Sunday we see:
"And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?'
But when they looked up they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large." Mark 16:3-4 (Are there 'what ifs' in our thinking that can become a stumbling block?
Resting in the Lord and trusting that He has all things well in hand is the best way to handle any speculation.)

*Family ties can be a hindrance to following Jesus.
 Look at Jesus' remarks to two who would put off following Him when He called:
"Then He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord let me first go and bury my father.'
Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.'
And another also said, 'Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.'
But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:59-62 (Putting Jesus' call on hold is not an option for a Believer!)

Therefore, as our opening Scripture exhorts us in the Amplified Bible, "...Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]..."

As 'works in progress' let us say with the Apostle Paul, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

Thank You Lord for Your love that passes understanding. How gracious and kind You are to us and how very grateful we are to be Yours! Amen