Stay In Your Lane by Mayada Naami

“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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12: 1-3, NIV).

The Christian life can be an exhausting race to the finish line. Hebrews 12:1-3 verse tells us to run the race with perseverance while focusing on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith. In this fallen world, it is easy to lose focus and look to the right and left at our fellow racers. Any professional racer knows that this will slow you down and ultimately cause you to lose the race.  How can we stay in our lane, and stay focused on Jesus, when there are many distractions that the prince of darkness, the ruler of this world, has created to cause us to stumble and fall? Cell phones, television, even friends that are not focused on Jesus can hinder you from winning the ultimate prize. In verse 2 Timothy 2:5, the Bible says, “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-28, ESV).

In this verse, Paul is saying that we must have self-control in all things to win the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. He says we must discipline our bodies and keep it under control, or we may be disqualified. As Christians, we have free will and Satan knows this. We can choose humble obedience, or we can choose prideful rebellion. Lucifer and his followers choose rebellion. He bombards us daily with temptations using his followers’ rebellious spirits. In 1 Corinthians 5, we are distinctly told to “Expel the wicked person from among you.”  

In this race called life we must be diligent in focusing on Jesus and surrounding ourselves with those choosing the narrow path which leads to life—Jesus. Most people choose the wider path because they are followers of people, which ultimately leads to spiritual death and separation from God. It may be a narrower and sometimes lonelier path, but to win the race I say: Stay in your lane.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness“ (Matthew 7:21-23, ESV).