No Obstacles!

September 28, 2023

No Obstacles!

I have had my share of obstacles. 

Some obstacles have come from inside me; things like doubt and fear or over-confidence and pride or confusion and lack of faith.

Some obstacles have come from outside me; things like loneliness and loss or betrayal and rejection or abuse and oppression.

I have had my share of obstacles and so has someone you know!

Some of the more devastating and destructive obstacles are those I put in the way of another person’s relationship with Jesus. 

When I was in high school, I went on a one-day student retreat.  On the evening of that retreat, I experienced the warmth of Jesus’ love while receiving holy communion. 

As the bread was broke and put into my eager hands, Jesus’ presence filled the room.  There was no doubt that as I ate the bread and drank of the cup, that Jesus was all around me.  When I sat down, I invited Jesus to be more than be all around me; I invited Jesus to fill my heart, my mind, and my soul!

I did not say much about what happened during that communion service.  However, one of the retreat leaders knew something had changed in me.  He invited me to share my experience during worship at my church on Sunday morning.

With knees and voice trembling, I shared the best I could that Sunday morning.  Following worship, one of the other high school students approached me and said; “Doug, nothing happened at the communion service; you have always been a Christian.”

It was a friend…a close friend…who told me that my experience of the love and presence of Jesus in such a real and powerful way was not real.  They told me that my experience of Jesus’ forgiveness, the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, and the assurance I was loved and accepted by Jesus was not real.

A big obstacle was put in the way of my relationship with Jesus by a close friend…someone from my church.

The Apostle Paul knew the importance of keeping the obstacles out of the way of someone’s relationship with Jesus.  In II Corinthians 6:3-4 Paul writes; “We are putting no obstacles in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way…”

Paul lists all the hard things he has had to endure so he could avoid putting obstacles in the way of the Christ-followers in Corinth.  In verse 4-5, he mentions; “…afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger…”  Paul endures all these difficulties so that he avoids putting obstacles in the way of those who want to draw closer to Jesus.

We can speak too quickly or too carelessly and it can become an obstacle for another person.

We can do something without thinking it through and it can become an obstacle for another person.

We can fail to speak when it would make a difference and it can become an obstacle for another person.

We can leave something undone and it can become an obstacle for another person.

We can let our spiritual pride or our agenda or our brokenness become an obstacle for another person.

We an let our sadness or our fear or our doubt become an obstacle for another person.

We can let our excitement or our restlessness or our indifference become an obstacle for another person.

We can let our job or our ministry or our interpretation become an obstacle for another person.

We can let our preference or our cynicism or our hopelessness become an obstacle for another person.  

We can let uncomfortableness or our awkwardness or our hesitation become an obstacle for another person.

The Apostle Paul made great sacrifices so that he would not inadvertently or intentionally put any obstacles in the way of another person drawing closer to Jesus.

Take some time today to ask yourself if you are putting an obstacle in the way of someone experiencing the delight that comes in knowing more and more of Jesus’ love in them.  When you begin removing the obstacles, your heart will be filled with delight in the Lord.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug