As I took my walk in the park a couple days after the heavy snow we got in New York, I observed a tree on the ground.
On first sight, I thought: ‘wow, this tree is so healthy, how did it break down so badly?’
It was a huge tree, filled with pine needles.
As I observed the other trees around it, they all had the appearance of being dead. They had all lost their leaves, and looked quite dry. Except, after the heavy snow fall, they were all still standing – except this tree that appeared to be so healthy.
Then, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks.
Trees in the winter aren’t meant to carry leaves and heavy snow, so, in the fall in this area, the trees lose their leaves, so when there is snow, there is very little accumulation. But, with the pine needles, my guess is the snow accumulated and the weight of it snapped the branches.
Then, I started thinking how many of us appear to be healthy, and we keep piling things on our to do list, until we eventually snap. The snap for humans comes in various forms, and more often than not, it results in a decline in health.
We were not meant to carry such heavy burdens. Even as society tells us we should be carrying more and more, because that is what success looks like.
As we approach this Christmas week, where the to do list seems to never end, I want you to pause if you are starting to feel overwhelmed and ask yourself some questions. ‘Am I meant to carry this? Is this something I must do?’
If the answer is ‘no, it’s not necessary’, scratch it off the list and focus on what you need to.
Matthew 11:28 states: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’
Christmas, was never meant to be a burden, but a delight as we celebrate Jesus’ birth. Let us remember the reason for the season, and make it meaningful, instead of overwhelming.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you never gave us some burdens to carry. If we are carrying things that you never asked us to, would you please give us the wisdom to know how to set it aside? You’ve promised that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. May we remember that this holiday season.