“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV).

I have been talking about sin and watching “My 600-lb Life” on TLC, which doesn’t make for a good combination because I had a crazy dream the other night influenced by the two. I dreamt that I was trying to go somewhere quickly, but I couldn’t move the way I wanted because my legs and feet were weighed down. When I looked down at my limbs, I saw that my legs and feet were swollen, and I had a huge lymphedema attached to one of my ankles. I couldn’t move. Despite all of my efforts, I was stuck because of this huge mass attached to my body.

When I woke up, I felt the Lord explaining to me how the lymphedema represented the nature of sin. Despite all of our efforts to move forward, excel, advance and get to where we are going in the spiritual and in the natural, sin weighs us down and causes us to remain at a standstill. We can’t move because sin weighs us down. That’s why Hebrews 12:1 tells us to throw off anything that hinders us and the sin that easily entangles us because it prevents us from running this race of life. This word was definitely an eye opener for me, and I gladly receive it as a word of correction as I strive towards maturity and perfection in Christ. I am thankful that the word also says the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins if we confess them to Him (1 John 1:9).

What is holding you back today? What unconfessed or unrecognized sin is holding you back? It just may be the reason why you’re stagnant. I believe if you pray, ask for God’s forgiveness and repent, He’ll set you free from your spiritual lymphedema.