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A man hired a carpenter. The carpenter had just finished a hard first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and his old pickup truck would not start.
While his employer drove him home, the carpenter sat in silence. After arriving, he invited his boss in to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, the carpenter paused at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with his hands.
When opening the door, the carpenter underwent an amazing change. His tanned face was aglow with smiles, he hugged his two small children, and he kissed his wife.
Later, he walked his boss to the car. They passed the tree, and the latter asked the carpenter of what he had seen him do upon their arrival.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," said the carpenter. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my family. I just hang them on the tree upon coming home. In the morning I pick them up again."
"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the prior evening."
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Paul understand how natural worry is for us humans. He underwent worry for the churches, saying that such anxiety "burdened down" him. He wrote, in 2 Corinthians 11, listing worry for the churches among his trials in ministry:
27I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. 28Besides everything else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches. 29When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin, I get angry.
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