Put Your Glass Down

God never allows more than we can handle.

Frankly, on first blush, that statement sounds unbelievable.  But it’s true: God never allows more than we can handle.  

How? Because anything can be handled with God, through the resurrection resources of Jesus, His Son. 

Paul says it best in 2 Corinthians 4:  “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed – perplexed, but not in despair…So then death is at work in us, but life is at work in [us, as well]…Because…the one who raised…Jesus from the dead will also raise us…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9; 12; 14).   

But here’s the rub:  often we try to raise ourselves, handling the weight of life alone.  Bottom line: any weight can be handled -- if we handle it with God – tapping the energy of a Risen Savior -- Jesus, triumphant, victorious.
   

Recently I shared on Facebook the story of a psychologist who tried to help folks handle the burdens of life.  As the psychologist did, she raised-up a glass of water; well folks assumed she was going to ask: is it "half empty or half full."  Instead, the psychologist asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?"; well the answers varied: 4 oz. -- 8 oz. -- 20 oz --. 30 oz. -- 50 oz. “You know,” the psychologist went on to say, “the exact weight doesn't matter. What matters is 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'll 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.   

The burdens of life are like this glass of water” the psychologist continued.  “Hold them for a while and nothing happens. Hold them a bit longer and you begin to hurt. But if you hold them all day long, you will be paralyzed, incapable of doing anything." And so let your burdens go -- release the weight of life -- put your glass down!” – (adapted, author unknown).   

Jesus invites us to put our glass down – to let our burdens go – to release life, to Him.  For ironically -- as we release life -- as we lay life down -- Jesus will raise us up!