Weekly Devotion: Letting Go

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Have you ever felt weighed down by your past—memories, regrets, or even past successes that keep you from moving forward? In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are reminded that in order to run our race with endurance, we must lay aside every weight and the sin that entangles us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

We saw this truth clearly in the lives of Lot’s wife (Genesis 19:26) and the Israelites (Numbers 14:2-4). Both looked back at what was behind them instead of trusting in what God had ahead. Lot’s wife longed for Sodom and lost her future. The Israelites romanticized Egypt, even though it was a place of bondage.
 
The same can happen to us. Sometimes, we hold onto our past—not because it’s good, but because it’s familiar. But God’s Word challenges us:

Philippians 3:13-14 – “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Letting go is not about forgetting—it’s about releasing the past so we can embrace the future God has for us.

• Identify what’s holding me back – What weight am I carrying that is slowing me down?
• Trust God’s future over my past – Do I believe that what God has ahead of me is better than what I left behind?
• Keep my focus on Christ – Am I running my race with endurance, or am I constantly looking back?

 

Like a runner in a race, we cannot move forward while looking over our shoulder. God is calling us forward—will we let go and trust Him?

Heavenly Father,
 

Thank You for Your Word that reminds me to lay aside every weight and keep my eyes on Jesus. Lord, I confess that there are things from my past that I have struggled to release—past hurts, past disappointments, even past victories that have kept me from fully stepping into what You have for me.

Help me to trust that Your plans for me are greater than anything I have left behind. Give me the faith to move forward, the endurance to keep running, and the focus to fix my eyes on Christ.

If I have been living in unbelief, doubting Your promises, help me to let go and believe in You fully. I surrender my past, my present, and my future into Your hands.

 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

5-Day Application Plan: Letting Go of the Weight of the Past

 

Day 1: Identify What’s Holding You Back

Hebrews 12:1 – “…let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Reflection: What past experiences, regrets, or even past successes might be weighing you down? Ask God to reveal anything that is keeping you from moving forward.
Application: Write down the things that might be holding you back. Pray and ask God for the strength to release them.

Day 2: Trust That God’s Future is Better Than Your Past

Isaiah 43:18-19 – “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I am doing something new…”
Reflection: Are you holding onto the past because it feels safer than stepping into the unknown? Are you struggling to believe that God has something new for you?
Application: Take a step of faith today. If God is calling you into something new—whether it’s a mindset shift, a new opportunity, or healing from the past—pray for courage to trust Him

Day 3: Stop Looking Back Like Lot’s Wife

Genesis 19:26 – “But Lot’s wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Reflection: Lot’s wife lost her future because she longed for what God told her to leave behind. What are you looking back at that is keeping you from moving forward?
Application: Make a practical decision today—remove something that keeps pulling you back (e.g., deleting an old phone number, letting go of a toxic mindset, breaking free from unhealthy patterns).

Day 4: Keep Pressing Forward

Philippians 3:13-14 – “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Reflection: Paul teaches us that moving forward requires focus. Are you spending more time dwelling on the past than pursuing Christ?
Application: Today, set aside 30 minutes for focused prayer and Bible study. Ask God to help you realign your focus on Christ instead of past distractions.

Day 5: Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

2 Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Reflection: The future may feel uncertain, but we don’t move forward based on what we see—we move forward by faith in God’s promises.
Application: Write down one bold faith step you will take this week. Commit to trusting God with it and pray for His guidance as you step forward.