An obstacle is something that “blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress.” In our lives, we encounter all sorts of obstacles. We understand that when something stands in our way or hinders our progress, we can either wait for the obstacle to move (or be moved), move it ourselves, or take another path.
Spiritually speaking, we might handle obstacles in much the same way. As Christians, our goal is heaven, and we may encounter all sorts of things that block our path or hinder our progress in reaching that goal. But as Christians, we need to determine the best way to handle those obstacles.
In Matthew 16, Peter was standing in the path of Jesus. Jesus knew that He needed to live a sinless life and die on the cross for the sins of the entire world. In verse 22, Peter said, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” Peter’s intentions were good, but he was standing in the way of Christ’s divine mission.
Jesus could have waited for that obstacle to move, or He could have taken another path entirely. Instead, Jesus decided to move Peter out of His way. In verse 23, He says, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me.”
We cannot allow our spiritual path to be blocked, and we cannot allow our spiritual progress to be hindered. When something stands between us and obedience to God or eternity in heaven, do not wait for it to move, do not take another path, follow the example of Jesus and move that obstacle out of the way.
Matt Langfield