It’s been a long time since I last posted — but this is a conversation I’ve been wanting to return to.
Scripture often describes the life of faith as a race — not a sprint, but a long, purposeful run marked by endurance, perseverance, and growth.
But many people are trying to run that race while dragging something behind them.
Not sin that God hasn’t forgiven.
Not guilt that hasn’t been addressed.
But weight they were never meant to carry anymore.
The writer of Hebrews says it plainly:
“Let us strip off every weight that slows us down… and let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
Notice the wording: weight — not just sin. Some things slow us down simply because we’re still holding them.
Over the years, I’ve pictured it like this. Imagine running a race with a rope tied around your waist. On the other end of that rope is a heavy rock — representing past failure, shame, regret, or words spoken over you that still echo in your mind.
You’re moving forward. You haven’t quit. But every step is harder than it needs to be.
Many believers live this way without realizing it. They’ve accepted God’s forgiveness in theory, but in practice, they keep dragging reminders of who they used to be.
“I know God forgave me, but I can’t forgive myself.”
“I should be further along by now.”
“This is just who I am.”
At some point, the race becomes exhausting — not because God is demanding too much, but because we’re carrying what He already released.
Freedom doesn’t begin with trying harder. It begins with letting go.
That’s why I often use the phrase “cut the cord.” Cutting the cord means choosing to believe that if God has forgiven you, you don’t need to keep punishing yourself. It means trusting that grace isn’t just something God offers — it’s something He intends you to live in.
Some people hesitate here. Not because they don’t want freedom — but because they’ve grown used to the weight. And what we’ve carried for a long time can start to feel strangely familiar.
That’s what we’ll talk about next.
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