STRESS

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked 'How heavy is this glass of water?'

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes'.

He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while'.

After reading this, it reminded me of what Jesus said; "Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 International Standard Version.

This lecturer spoke about something so small as a simple glass of water that can become a heavy burden when we don't learn to lay it down. It is the little things in life that can destroy us if we let them. Song of Solomon 2:1 talks about "the little foxes, that spoil the vines:" We need to learn to "be careful for nothing" just like it says in Philippians 4:6.

We need to learn to turn everything over to him for Matthew 11:29-30 reads;"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

He has promised that if we come to Him He will give us rest; "This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing" Isaiah 28:12.

To many times we try to do things on our own instead of learning to lean on Jesus. The battle is not ours but it is the Lord's. Yes, we need to learn to lay our burdens down and drink from the fountain of refreshing waters.