A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the ” half empty or half full” question. Instead with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, The absolute weight doesn’t matter. “It depends on how long I hold it.” If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem.” “If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my arm.” If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water.” “Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them for a little longer and they begin to hurt. “And if you think of them all day long, you will feel paralyzed- incapable of doing anything. ”

Remember to put the glass down.

Think about it even this way, say you bought wireless earphones from Beats but you decided to use them as nose plugs. Each day you would stick them in your nose and after awhile they would start to hurt, leaving you unable to breathe. You didn’t bother to read the instructions from the manufacturer on the box to insure you get the maximum use out of your new earphones. You decided you knew what was best but overtime, they didn’t feel good if even at all; leaving you wondering why you bought them in the first place. As silly as it sounds, we often do that very thing with our own lives. We try and fit our foot into a shoe that doesn’t fit. We think we have to be strong and handle all our problems according to how we want to handle our problems. But just like the beats earphones, we too have a manufacturer ( a creator) who made us with intention and purpose. Often some of our problems come from misusing our gifts and talents or allowing others to dictate what we should and should not be. I’m not saying we won’t have challenges but there are two things our creator insists on helping us with…

Taking our burdens, letting go

Helping us discover our own unique purpose based on our personality, our talents, and our passions. When you are doing something you love, when the going gets tough and it will, you will still have the fire shut in your bones which will in turn give you the perseverance you need to push through the obstacles.

Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke ( crushed)

Come to Me, all you who are labor and burden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke and learn from me,f or I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.