Daily Reading: Luke 21:29–36

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life. (Luke 21:34)

Brown Bomber was a nickname synonymous with one of history’s famous heavyweights—a name given to boxers weighing more than two hundred pounds.

His given name was Joseph Louis Barrow. Better known as Joe Louis, he held the heavyweight championship title from 1937 to 1949, established a reputation for honesty and hard work, and successfully defended his title twenty-five times.

Jesus issued a heavyweight warning almost two thousand years ago. His followers needed to watch for His return. It remains a necessary warning for me because of my tendency to get weighed down when something doesn’t happen quickly enough.

In the world of life, the heavy weights of carelessness, addiction, and anxiety keep us from winning the battle for holiness. Whatever has my focus has me, and lack of godly focus always leads down a path of disappointment and spiritual frustration.

When the weight of life’s ups and downs gets too heavy, it’s easy to adopt addictions and experience anxiety, but they are only crutches to “help” us make it through. They never deliver the promised fix. They’re only temporary solutions to deeper issues.

A better avenue is presenting our concerns to God and letting Him give His incomprehensible peace.

Christ will come. Prudent waiting entails avoiding focus-stealing heavy weights that hinder our journey toward godly living.

With God’s help, cast off any weights hindering your holy living.

Martin Wiles loves using his writing to help others move further in their journey toward spiritual maturity.