I
think I am reasonably mechanically minded. I can usually figure out how to use
the various devices and gadgets that seem to be so much a part of life today.

But
there is one machine that defeats me. I have no idea how it works or how to use
it: my wife’s sewing machine.    

The
last time I watched her using it I had to ask what one of the controls was for.
She said “That is the tension release button”. I thought, “I could do with one
of those. If only I had a tension release button!”

In one
sense I do. When everything is getting to me, which it does more often than I
care to admit, I try to find a quiet moment. Sometimes I need to create it in
my mind. At other times I find a place away from the immediate hustle and bustle,
and I pray. I pray that God would give me some peace and help me face whatever
the issue is, without feeling so stressed. In that way, for a brief period of
time, I rest in the Lord, and it relaxes me. The problem might not go away, but
the tension is released. 

It
reminds me of a scripture in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. The prophet wrote
to the Israelite captives, wanting to give them hope in their desperate
situation. Don’t worry, he explained to them, let go of the weight of your
concerns. “You’ve carried those burdens
long enough” Zephaniah 3:18 (The Message). 

When
we take our burdensome problems to the Lord, He helps us feel less stressed. Jesus
invites those who are weary and heavy burdened to come to Him, and He will give
them rest.

The
next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin, take a moment and
turn to Christ. Say a prayer – and let him take the tension away.

I’m
Joseph Tkach, Speaking of LIFE.