It’s approaching 5:30 a.m., and I’ve been running through my morning routine for about 45 minutes. A dozen thoughts popped on the horizon, things that need some deep thought, but sleep beckons.
When I need to sleep longer, I can’t.
When I’m not stressed, and I should be at rest, my mind still flows.
It’s not about worrisome details, just stuff.
Like, what is my load limit?
You buy a truck and intend to haul or tow. The fine print tells you how much is too much. The trailer you pull has limits. Think about it: limitations exist for a reason for every moving vehicle, whether on water, land, or air. Too much, and it’s not safe for you and innocent others.
I watched a video of an airplane testing its landing gears while on the ground. Think about it! Something is holding that gigantic flying beauty artificially off the ground so a mechanic can run the landing gear through its paces to find and fix problems. Imagine it’s the last commercial airplane you flew. What can lift it, hold it, and suspend it? There are now additional load limit pieces of equipment and structure at play. I know there are load and weight limits for the plane on the ground, and they are probably different ones in the air.
A cargo ship has a painted difference and markings to show how much load it’s carrying based on the water it displaces. Fill it too much, and then you are sure to sink! It’s not how deep the water is under the keel but how much load is inside the boat that will cause its inevitable doom.
If water rises to its level based on the construct of the container, then you and I are no different. Our load level increases only by the construct of our body, strength, balance, and training.
Fill an air tank too much? Catastrophe! There’s only so much pressure it can hold.
This list of possibilities is too long!
Something To Think About
We all reach the end of our rope. It’s time to toss in the towel and call it quits. Stressors limit all of us. We are each different. Unique. The load and how we carry it are special to the construct of our lives. Situational. The straw that breaks the camel’s back today will be loaded with aplomb tomorrow. What we were able to do yesterday may strain a relationship today. Fluidity.
Everyone and everything changes. All the time.
It’s that proverbial wall in front of us that we are often doomed to hit that brings us to a crunching stop. Again. Whatever you were handling is suddenly too much. You, and innocent bystanders, will pay the consequences of not knowing your load limits.
When too much is loaded, many of us unload and move on. We know what our limits are. Our language and actions tell others, “No mas!”
Another thought goes along this vein.
When the load starts to weigh you down, something is going to get missed.
From too much, we get crowded conditions. When things crowd our attention and ability, innocent mistakes happen. You forget to pay someone, or say thank you, or make a phone call, or… Well, you get the picture. There’s only so much you can do.
Know Your Limits
From too many irons in the fire, and it happens too often, I’ve learned what load I can carry. There will be times I can do a little bit more, and nothing negative happens. But do the “more” day in and day out, and before you know it? Something gives, then bends, and finally breaks.
I’m not good at juggling, but how many balls can you juggle at the same time? Well, maybe the balls are running chainsaws! Now, how many can you juggle? Suddenly the image of the minuscule harmless balls pops up. You can handle more of them than dangerous chainsaws of the same number!
When Cain was punished for slaying his brother, Abel, he cried out to God, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!” (Genesis 4:13) Perhaps the punishment was an unknown price to pay for committing the crime, but he suddenly realized how far he went when it was doled out.
Solomon approaches the thought like this:
A healthy spirit conquers adversity,
but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
(Proverbs 18:14 MSG)
Never To Old To Re-Learn
This can be a long thought, but I will pause here and think it through more, then I will share again at a later date. I’m just shifting the load to another date, just saying. I’m getting sleepy!
There are times we can carry the load, and then there are times we shouldn’t even try. Even Moses learned this after Israel left Egypt. Go check out his situation in Exodus 18. He was doing too much and maybe not doing his best. He’s 80 years old! A new leader of a stiff-necked people! (Exodus 32:9) His father-in-law (how old was he??!!??), Jethro, instructs him about handling the load a better way.
Shift the load to someone else. Don’t try to do too much. You were only made to handle a certain amount. Allow someone else to step in and help you carry the load.
Not to take it out of context, but the Apostle Paul writes:
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For if anyone thinks himself to be something,
when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
But let each one examine his own work,
and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone,
and not in another.
For each one shall bear his own load.
(Galatians 6:2-5 NKJV)
You must carry your own load, but there will be times you need help. Be wise like Moses. Accept the instruction and assistance as it comes your way. Your load will be lighter, and you will last longer.
What Are Your Load Limits? When the load starts to weigh you down, something is going to get missed. Click To Tweet