Limitations

Put some more weight on it.

I remember fondly doing ramp sets of curls in the gym with a friend in college. The basic idea was to incrementally add weight to the exercise until you reach the point of failure. It was great for building endurance, strength, and mental fortitude. The reality of doing an exercise regimen like this is we were intentionally engineering limitations to become better.

As I reflect upon those times in the gym, the sore muscles, the excitement to see the result of the hard work on the next visit, I smile because if we had not pushed ourselves into the land of discomfort we would have settled into the realm of mediocrity. Digging deeper, the fact that I was there with a consistent partner aided in the desire to push past the standard boundaries I would have for myself because of his desire to see me grow.

In fact, it appears to me that knowing the ends of our limitations can be both terrifying and liberating, depending on how we choose to receive that information. In the gym, the consequences of reaching our limits are not life-altering but set a barometer for change and improvement. When the results are not just how you look in a tee shirt but something more significant such as how strong your marriage is, the boundaries of limitations are often not explored due to fear.

In Genesis 32 we find Jacob, who was terrified of his brother Esau because he had stolen Esau's birthright years prior, and now Jacob was faced with the impossible duty of returning home. Immediately in his mind, Jacob put limitations around himself based on his past experiences and interactions where his brother almost always prevailed as the victor.

This caused Jacob to have insecurity and trepidation around his abilities to lead his people effectively and ultimately be successful in the mission because of the opposition he would surely face. The limitations Jacob designed had one fatal flaw - they put God at arm's length and Jacob decided to do things his way.

Fear has a funny way of making us turn from God and see how we can protect ourselves instead. We become closer to God when we push our limitations and not live inside them.

Recognizing that we are all made in the Image of God we can confidently say that any limitation He designed in us is there for a reason. In fact, there isn’t a single person past, present, or future that has limitless abilities. Thinking on this further, it seems that our limitations are not there to hold us back from achieving what God desires. They ensure we never lose focus on what matters most and that is a deep, meaningful, and authentic relationship with God as our Father.

Questions to Consider

1. In what ways does fear influence our tendency to set limitations for ourselves?
2. Why might knowing the ends of our limitations be both terrifying and liberating?