Fanatic DisciplineSample

Understanding Limitations

In the real world, no one is born a superhero. We all have our limits and cannot do everything whether we are healthy or suffering from some medical issue. In deciding on a rule of life to follow, we should, first and foremost, recognize and accept our limitations. We should avoid taking on too much. Otherwise, it is very easy to get discouraged and compromise on the rule when we face failure.

Start small. A child starts to crawl, then later tries to stand, walk, and, finally, run. Write down the steps you want to follow and measure your performance against them daily. Have you accomplished what you set out to do, or have you not? If not, introspect and discover if your failure was due to a limitation.

A prominent leader when he was a student, included the following elements in his rule: 15 minutes of silent prayer and 15 minutes of spiritual reading soon after rising; before sleeping, an examination of conscience followed by confession; then, identifying issues for the next morning’s prayers; arrange the hours of the day to make the rule possible, setting aside a specific time for prayer, study, recreation, and sleep (balance); making it a discipline to turn the mind to God in prayer. Today, he is a global figure and follows the Lord wholeheartedly.

We should consider our limitations as a gift from God, which becomes a tool to magnify His grace in our lives. God’s answer to Paul’s request to remove the thorn from his side was, My grace is sufficient for you (II Cor 12:9). God may or may not remove our limitations, but our desire to live disciplined lives should not be hampered by the limitations we have. Let us strive to do all in our capacity to lead a life pleasing in the sight of our Lord.

Dear Lord, help me recognize and accept my limitations. Teach me to depend more and more on You each passing day. Amen