In 1974, Hungarian sculptor and architect Ernő Rubik invented the Magic Cube, later known as the Rubik's Cube. It was a unique puzzle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Cube
I still remember when this came out. I would spend hours trying to solve it, to end up with all the colors on one side. It would drive me crazy not to be able to solve it.
I can feel this same way when I have a problem in my life. Problems are inevitable, but then it's how I can respond to them that can make me feel this way.
I begin by allowing my thoughts to twirl like the internal pivot mechanism in a Rubik's Cube. Just like a Rubik's Cube, the problem is not solvable yet. I pick it up numerous times a day; sure, I'll solve it. I should put it down. I remember one morning, distinctly, I was sure this time that when I shared the problem with my husband, he'd have answers for me.
Just like trying to solve the Rubik's Cube, he did not. This same morning, he said, "This reminds me of when someone picks up a Rubik's Cube. They twirl the independent faces of the cube hoping to solve it. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of time and energy is wasted by continuing to pick up the problem just like the Rubik's cube."
I need to put it down!
Here's how it played out in my own life. I woke up every morning for a year to an unsolvable problem greeting me. It was before I had my coffee or breakfast, before I got out of bed. There isn't anything that comes before coffee. I would think about it for most of the morning.
I realized many months later how it was stealing the energy and joy that God had for me each day. I remember a woman in my yoga class telling me I needed to exercise my shield of faith. One morning, I decided to exercise my shield. If the problem came up in my thoughts, I would exercise my shield. In a sense, I was surrendering it to the Lord, letting Him have it instead of wasting time and energy. I am prone to doing this with problems and situations. I am thankful God used this problem to teach me to exercise my shield and that He is my rescue. There will be more situations in my life where I will need to use it. I am grateful he used a Rubik's cube and a woman in my yoga class to demonstrate how ridiculous it is to let my thoughts get the better of me.