For some reason, Starbucks always gets my right hand.
Please, friend…. Tell me you do this too.
Arriving at my office building, I pull my oh-so-precious Starbucks Grande Americano from the cup holder and put it on the roof of my car.
Then, like a circus side show act, I collect all the items for my day from the back seat, and loop and layer them over my left shoulder.
And then - looking like a pack mule, I reach up to my roof and grab my little-piece-of-Heaven-in-a-cup with my right hand.
I tell you what - I have computer bags, purses, lunch bags, shoe bags - and they all travel to their destination via my over-burdened left arm.
But, Starbucks gets my right hand.
I then proceed to half drag my left side through the locked door, and up three flights of stairs.
By the first floor all of the things on my left shoulder have slid down my arm and swing haphazardly in all the directions.
By the second floor I’m mad at my bags - and questioning my strategy.
And by the time I stand at the door of my office, I’m a hot mess.
My hair is half ripped out thanks to the falling computer bag, and in my effort to ease the pain, my head is cocked hard left. My jacket has been dragged down my arm, slightly choking me on the right side. And I’m sweating in weird places - you know what I’m talking about.
Not pretty.
But still - my Starbucks rides like a Princess in my right hand. Unscathed. Unaware of the madness on the left side.
Raise a hand if you have ever lived this scenario.
I hate every minute of that laboured climb up the stairs. And yet I do it the same way every single time.
Why? Why do I keep doing the thing that doesn’t make sense.
Why do I carry so much? And why, oh why, do I not balance it out better?
And while we’re asking, why does Starbucks get my right hand all to itself? It’s special, yes, but come-on!
My life is like this - and maybe yours is too.
I carry too much sometimes.
I lack balance.
I put time and energy into things that I shouldn’t.
I try to do it all and end up feeling overwhelmed and unhappy.
And, worse, I try to do it all by myself.
Sometimes I forget. I forget that I don’t need to do it all. I don’t have to carry it all.
And I forget that I have a Helper.
Standing by is a Man Who wants to carry things for me. He isn’t burdened by my baggage. He doesn’t think I’m too much.
In fact, I think He gets quite a kick out me. And He definitely gets a kick out of you!
And when I ask Him for help, not only does He rush in and carry the things, He breathes extra energy into the depleted spaces.
Time with Him always refreshes. It always heals.
My friend, you don’t have to carry all of it. We were never meant to. Can I encourage you to turn it over? Let Jesus take a bag or two. He’s standing by, arms free and wide open to take a load off.
And as we head into 2022, will you join me in handing it all over to Him? All the hills and valleys coming our way - we don’t have to travel this year alone.
I’m praying for you as you dive (or limp, or tip toe, or drag yourself) into this new year - and I’m trusting God will reveal Himself to you in powerful ways.
He is more than strong enough to carry all of the things you’re holding.
May you trust Him fully with all of it.
Love, Nicole
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