Hindrances in the Christian Life
1 Thessalonians 2:18
"Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."
The Christian life is filled with hindrances that could be avoided if you will be diligent to avoid them. A hindrance isn't always a sin. A hindrance could be something that is not wrong, but it may hinder you from doing what you are supposed to do.
Let me explain this thought through illustration. When I was in high school, I was part of the track team. When we ran our event, we would do everything we could so that we could run the best race. We had the lightest shoes you could wear with spikes on them so that we would not be slowed. We would wear the lightest clothing so that we could freely move. We did this so that we wouldn't be hindered as we ran our event. Imagine if I came to an event wearing combat boots, full military gear and a loaded backpack on my back. There is nothing wrong with wearing combat boots, but they would have hindered me in the race. There is nothing wrong with military gear, but it would hinder me in running my event to the best of my ability. There is nothing wrong with a loaded backpack on my back, but it would hinder me from running as quickly as I could. These things in their own place are fine, but out of place they become a hindrance.
There are many things in the Christian life that are not wrong, but they may hinder you from being the Christian you are supposed to be. Whatever hindrance you may have, you must lay it aside so that you can be the Christian God wants you to be. The Scriptures show us that there are many things that can hinder us in our Christian life.
First, Satan can hinder you in your Christian life. You may think that there is nothing you can do to remove this hindrance, but I have found that prayer is the key to removing this hindrance. Don't let an anemic prayer life hinder you from being the Christian you are supposed to be. Many Christians are hindered because they don't pray enough. Don't let that be your hindrance.
Second, Galatians 5:7 shows us that people can be a hindrance. There are people who are not bad people, but they are a hindrance to your Christian life. You must be careful that the people you choose to be your friends are not hindrances to your Christian life. Any person who will hold you back from serving God the way that you should is a hindrance. It may not be that they are a bad person, but maybe their attitude hinders you from being what you are supposed to be. If you find someone who hinders you from serving God, then step away from them so that you can be the Christian God wants you to be.
Third, Acts 8:36 shows us that unbelief hinders your Christian life. There are many Christians who have hindered their Christian life because they don't believe something can be done. If God commands you to do something, then you need to immediately obey. Unbelief will cause you to not do something you are supposed to do. It will cause you to wait until belief comes. You must not let your lack of faith hinder you from obeying God. If God wants you to do something, then push your unbelief aside so that it doesn't hinder you from becoming the Christian God wants you to be.
Hindrances are bad because they slow you down. They will keep you from reaching your potential for Christ. If you find a hindrance in your Christian life, remove it. Hindrances are something we can control. Don't let the things you can control hinder you from reaching God's potential for your life.