Scripture Focus (NKJV)
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight…”
— Hebrews 12:1
Devotional
There are seasons in this journey where we slowly start to carry everything on our own without even realizing it.
We wake up, move through our responsibilities, manage our schedules, and handle what needs to be done, all while keeping most of what we are thinking and feeling to ourselves. We show up in class, in study groups, in clinical settings, and on the outside it can look like we are doing what everyone else is doing. But internally, there is a weight that is not being shared.
Over time, that kind of quiet independence starts to feel normal.
We tell ourselves that everyone else is busy, that no one really has time, and that we should be able to handle it. So instead of reaching out, we process things alone. Instead of being honest about where we are struggling, we keep pushing forward. And eventually, we start to believe that this journey is something we are supposed to manage by ourselves.
But that belief is not strength.
It is isolation.
And isolation, even when it feels productive, slowly wears us down.
For many of us in healthcare training, this pattern is easy to fall into. The environment is demanding, the expectations are high, and there is an unspoken pressure to keep up. When we see others moving forward, performing well, and appearing confident, it becomes even harder to admit when we feel overwhelmed or uncertain. So we stay quiet and keep going.
But Hebrews 12 interrupts that mindset.
It reminds us that we are not running this race alone. Not only are we surrounded by those who have gone before us, but we are also called to run in a way that acknowledges we were never meant to do this in isolation.
That means something we need to take seriously.
Because when we isolate ourselves, we begin to carry things that were never meant to be carried alone.
I remember seasons where I convinced myself that I just needed to be more disciplined, more focused, and more consistent. I thought that if I could just manage everything well enough, I would be fine. But what I didn’t realize was that I was removing the very support that God had placed around me.
The more I isolated, the heavier everything felt.
Not because the work changed, but because I was carrying it without support.
And that is what many of us are doing without realizing it.
We are trying to run a race that was never designed to be run alone.
Hebrews does not just tell us to run.
It tells us how to run.
And part of that is understanding that this journey is not meant to be lived in quiet isolation. We need encouragement. We need truth spoken back to us. We need people who can see when we are struggling, even when we are trying to hide it.
Not because we are weak.
But because we are human.
And because God designed growth to happen in connection, not in silence.
We are not stronger because we carry everything alone.
We are stronger when we allow ourselves to be supported as we run.
This does not mean we suddenly share everything with everyone.
It means we stop pretending we don’t need anyone.
It means we allow space for real connection.
It means we recognize that part of endurance is not just pushing forward, but staying connected along the way.
Because the race is long.
And isolation will not sustain us through it.
Reflection Questions
Have we been carrying things internally that we have not shared with anyone?
In what ways might we be choosing isolation without realizing it?
Who in our lives can we begin to be more honest and connected with?
Application
Today, take one intentional step toward connection. Reach out to someone you trust, even if it feels small. Share honestly where you are, or simply check in. Let this be a step away from isolation and toward the support God has already placed around you.
Prayer
Lord, help us to recognize where we have been trying to carry everything on our own. Give us the humility and courage to step out of isolation and into connection. Surround us with people who will support and strengthen us, and teach us to run this race in a way that reflects how You designed it.
Amen.