Well it happened…AGAIN! Things came crashing down all around
me. I’m not talking figuratively, but literally I ended up with a pile of
things that one second had all been perched and balanced perfectly in my arms
and the next were scattered at my feet like fragments from a bombing.
You see, I had been walking through my home being “very
productive” gathering things from each room that needed to be returned to their
rightful location. My arms had grown quite full, but I was certain that I could
pick up that last soda can. Little did I know that act would derail all of my
good intentions. It quite literally was the thing that brought the mountain
down!
How many times in life do we go through doing our dance and juggling
the details of our lives? It is a dance that I am very familiar with. We are
like those Chinese Acrobats with so many things spinning in so many different
directions, but with skill and concentration we are able to keep them spinning.
We do have a limit though. There comes a time that we are at
our “juggling capacity” and just can’t add one more thing. The sad part is that
we don’t recognize that we are at our limit. We add that one more thing to our over loaded
crazy pile and the whole thing tumbles down. We get angry at ourselves and our
circumstances. We become tired and discouraged. It takes so much effort to pick
things back up after they have fallen.
As I stooped down this morning to pick up my dropped pile, I
realized something. Most of the things lying at my feet weren’t mine to be taking
care of in the first place: children’s shoes, back packs, craft projects...none
of those were mine. I did have things I was responsible for, like the dirty
laundry and the blasted soda can that caused all the mess. In that moment I
realized that it hadn’t been the can’s fault at all. It had been my fault because
if I had loaded my arms with the things that I was responsible for, my load
would never have been too heavy or overwhelming.
This made me think of times when I have taken up other
people’s battles and responsibilities only to see my own obligations and frame
of mind spin utterly out of control. Galatians 6:2 CEV “You
obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” We are supposed
to help…not take full responsibility for someone else’s “stuff”. (Okay
now I’m alluding to things figuratively as well)
If things are falling today, check to see it what you are
carrying is your “stuff” or someone else’s. If it’s all yours, God says He will
help you carry it because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matthew
11:30)
If the “stuff” that has you over loaded rightfully is
someone else’s, lovingly give it back to them. If they don’t take it back, then
it’s okay for their “stuff” to sit there for a while. Many times people will give others their “stuff”
to take care of because they don’t want to take care of it themselves. Offering
a helping hand means you HELP someone…NOT do it for them.
Have a great day, and I pray God helps you figure out what
is yours to carry, and what you need to leave behind.
~Blessings~
