The Windshield Life: Leaving the Rearview BehindNäide

Day Four
A Hundredth of a Second – The Difference Between Winning and Losing Isn’t Your Past: Take Off the Backpack of Shame

During the Paris Olympics, some races came down to just a hundredth of a second. That tiny margin decided who wore gold and who didn’t. Swimmers know that every fraction of resistance matters—that’s why they shave down, wear sleek suits, and eliminate anything that could slow them.

Now imagine if one of those athletes jumped into the pool wearing a heavy backpack. No matter how strong or well-trained they were, that weight would keep them from finishing the way they were meant to.

That’s what guilt and shame do in our lives. They drag us down, slow our stride, and keep us from moving forward in freedom. But Micah 7:18-19 NIV gives us this hope: “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” God doesn’t just forgive our failures; He removes them completely. The backpack isn’t ours to carry anymore.

So when the enemy whispers reminders of your past, remember this: Jesus already left that weight at the bottom of the sea. Don’t let shame steal your focus or slow you down. Take off the backpack, dive into His grace, and run—or swim—the race set before you in freedom.