The "Monkeys on Our Backs"

Funny, but nevertheless true-this morning upon letting my lil' puppy back in from outside, he was running around the house with his lil' comfy coat on to keep warm. I began to attempt to be still and pray. I cried out to the Lord for Him to do things that only He can do. I started with my head held high looking to The Author and Finisher of Faith and pleading with Him to do a work in my life. As I continued in prayer, my head fell down almost completely between my knees, begging and praying for the Lord to just "show me what to do." As I closed out the prayer, I lifted my head and went to grab my cup of coffee and this is what I saw:
In case you need an interpreter for this photo, that's our puppy, Jitter-bug, with a "monkey on his back!" No joke, he really came inside and started to play while I was praying, and somehow the velcro of the monkey and the velcro of his lil' coat connected. I burst into laughter at first, thinking how cute and took a photo. Then it hit me, my dog has a "monkey on his back," what "monkeys on my back" am I carrying around that just "kinda adhere and stick to me?" As I think more about this, I think of leeches and bloodsuckers-at first not realizing they are there and then panicking (well I would!) that they are "stuck" to me.
So often in life, we don't even know it but "strongholds" start to stick to us--like "burs" and "thistles". They slowly creep there way in and before you know it, we are overtaken with it. It never just "BOOM!"-happens----it's always a little at a time, so subtly.
I took some time to ponder, what "monkeys were on my back" today that have adhered to me. The good news is that Jesus has told me and all of us whose eyes have been opened, 1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."