"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne."  -Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT

In order for athletes to play at peak level in their respective sports, they must eat healthy foods; work on the skill sets that relate to the sport that they play; and work on conditioning, ensuring that they will have the cardio endurance to perform at a high level. Most importantly, athletes must weight train to build muscle and to have the strength necessary to endure throughout a long season. Life is like a long sports season that will have ups and downs. It is important that you let go of your past/baggage, especially as it pertains to previous relationships, friendships, jobs, etc. If you don’t let go of the past, you will not be able to properly move forward so that you will be able to receive everything that God has for you. The enemy (the devil) wants to deter as many people as possible from pursuing a relationship with God. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us to “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” God allowed that person or situation to be “the past” for a reason. Maybe that person or opportunity was not advantageous for you in that season of your life or that person or situation simply wasn’t for you. Don’t allow the enemy to play tug of war with your mind. It’s the first thing the enemy attacks. If you are not careful, negative thoughts lead to negative desires of the heart, which will ultimately lead to sinful actions. Guard your heart, be strong in the Lord, and do the opposite of what the enemy is enticing you to do. When Jesus was tempted by the enemy in Matthew 4:1-11, He counteracted Satan’s attack with scripture. We must follow Jesus’ example and memorize scripture so that we will “not be ignorant to Satan’s devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Remember that we can’t do this without reading and studying the bible for ourselves. There are times when God will help you reconcile a past relationship or opportunity. Other times, God will remove people and situations from your life. Either way, God is in control and nothing can occur without His authorization. We should always remember that God doesn’t make mistakes and He has a plan for all of our lives. Trust His plan and know that everything will work out in His timing. Give your past and your worries to God so that you can ultimately be free to be the man or woman that God desires you to be.