The Sky’s the Limit, Innit? Learning to Thrive Within Your LimitsSample

Limited Editions

I believe we are all limited editions – like a book or a painting with the author or artist’s unique stamp or signature. We are special, rare, precious, bespoke, designed by God. Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made – knit together by God. We are deeply loved and have a unique personality and skill set gifted to us by God. However, we are also limited, we cannot do everything or help everyone.

I have adopted a wonderful little girl, but it looks like raising one child is my limit in terms of motherhood. I’m learning to accept that this is more than ok. I want to be a great mum to her and not be stretched so far beyond my limits that I can’t be the mum that she needs.

Some limits we face don’t bother us. As an example, for me, I am severely limited in the parking department. I drove into a very busy church car park a few weeks back and I asked a guy in a high-vis jacket (said jackets always give car park crew too much bravado in my opinion – especially if accompanied by a walkie-talkie) if it was busy and confessed I was terrible at parking. He said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be fine, have confidence in yourself’ (thanks for the Ted talk). I should not have listened to the dude decked in high-vis, I should have listened to my limits. They wanted me to park between two cars on a downward-facing slope being watched by a growing queue of cars. I had a little hissy fit, did a 307 (!) point turn, and exited the car park. If I were to practice parking on downward-facing slopes in high-pressure parking situations, I would begin to bust my limits in this area, but I have no desire to waste any spare time doing so. My parking limitation does not bother me. However, my parenting limitation needed a lot of work. I came to realize that while fostering is a high calling and something I’d love to be good at, it was a high calling that I was not called to. I was trying to climb the wrong building, albeit with good motives.

Reflection

Which limits do you face that don’t bother you?

Which limits may you need to do some deep work on adjusting to?