There is an expression that is commonly used, saying that someone “has the weight of the world on their shoulders.” This expression conveys the idea of someone so weighed down with great concerns it is an almost overwhelming burden. It is possible that this expression came from the ancient Greek mythological story of Atlas, who (depending on the account) was bound to carry the world, the sky, or the heavens on his shoulders.
Have you ever, perhaps when you were a child, played a game with someone who changed the rules in the middle of the game? Maybe it was a game you had never played before and, always right before a move that would benefit your opponent, he\she reveals a rule they “forgot” to tell you. Or maybe it was a game of “cops and robbers” or a variation; you use your weapon against your opponent and he\she suddenly has a “shield.”
Being a parent is an awesome responsibility – one of the most serious and necessary responsibilities in our lives. This is a responsibility that lies outside of the workforce and being a father can never be considered a “job” in a labor sense. But what if someone were to list a job description for a father? What would such a description look like?
The Jewish nation was greatly depressed by being taken into Babylonian captivity. This is no surprise – any people forced to leave their land and endure hardship under a captor would be depressed. However, this depression was affecting the relationship between the Jewish nation and her God, especially in the new generation born into captivity. They had become embittered, jaded, and unwilling to heed the encouragement of the prophet to reform.
There is an expression which has come into common parlance as a means of self-motivation. The expression is: “Tomorrow is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life.” The purpose of this expression is to focus upon prioritizing one’s life a day at a time. This expression can be helpful to those who have difficulty prioritizing or are overcoming hardship such as addiction or depression. Choosing to change one’s future begins with now.