“We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.” Hebrews 12:1 (GW)
Just like spring cleaning in our homes, it’s important for me to do a spring cleaning in my mind—but this one lasts all throughout the year. For transformation to happen in life, there are going to be some bad habits I'll need to clear out regularly because they’re slowing me down.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up” (GW).
It’s easier to pick up bad habits than it is to get rid of them. There are four reasons why it’s so hard to clean them ou:
Because I’ve had them a long time. I didn’t collect my habits, hurts, and hang-ups overnight. Many of these patterns were established in childhood—patterns that started as survival skills. They might not be helping me now, but they’re familiar, so I hang on to them.
Because I identify with them. I can often confuse my identity with my defects—I'm aggressive or a workaholic or an overeater. And when I see myself in a certain way, I set up a self-fulfilling prophecy, and I have an unconscious fear of change. I can wonder, “If I change, then who will I be?”
Because they have a payoff. Whatever gets rewarded gets repeated. Sometimes I reward negative behavior because it masks my pain or gives me an excuse to fail or it gets me some attention.
Because Satan fights it. Satan doesn’t want me to be transformed and set free. So the moment I get serious about changing, he starts whispering, “Who do you think you are? You can’t change. You’ve tried to change in the past; it won’t work. You may as well give up!”
Cleaning house in my mind is never easy. It takes time, so I will have to be patient. I will have to remind myself of my new identity in Christ. I’ve got to remind myself of a better and bigger payoff—the joy that comes from having a forever relationship with Jesus Christ. And I’ll have to rely on the Holy Spirit, whose power in me is greater than Satan’s attacks.
Choosing this kind of mindset every day will lead to healthy living and a lighter load as I run the race God has for me.
In summary:
Just like spring cleaning, I need to regularly clear out the mental and spiritual clutter—especially sins and bad habits—that slow me down and distract me from the life God intends for me. Hebrews 12:1 reminds me to run my race with endurance, letting go of anything that holds me back. Breaking free from long-standing habits is difficult because they feel familiar, are tied to my identity, offer temporary rewards, and are opposed by spiritual forces. But by trusting in the Holy Spirit, remembering my identity in Christ, and focusing on the lasting joy of a relationship with Jesus, I can gradually experience true transformation and live with purpose and freedom.
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