Remembering That We Are Human

This week's Daily Devos will be centered around the theme of knowing and embracing our limitations as we learn to lean more on God's love and grace.  

On my recent trip with my middle son to New York City and Philadelphia for his graduation celebration, I told him we could do whatever he wanted to do, and see whatever he wanted to see. 

Luckily for me, his aspirations for the trip were mostly historical sites, museums, parks, and general sightseeing.  He's also a big believer in using public transportation, which was super cost-effective, but required a lot of walking.  

And when I say a lot of walking, I  mean A LOT of walking.  We walked nearly eight miles a day, every day we were on the trip.  My feet hurt, my recently tweaked knee required a brace, and my legs would often refuse to work every morning of the trip.  

It's a humbling thing to realize you can't keep up with your kid the way you used to, but I gamely kept at it, with only a modicum of complaining.  At one point, though, I put my tired and sore foot down and got us an Uber so I wouldn't have to walk half a mile dragging my suitcase.  

I think he was secretly glad I did.  

Owning your limitations is an exercise in letting go of pride.  I came across this excellent quote from C.S. Lewis the other day when I was working on this Devo that speaks to this: 

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

One of the most difficult truths for many of us to accept is that we are limited.

We have limited energy, time, resources, understanding, and control. Yet much of modern life encourages us to live as though limits are problems to be conquered rather than realities to be embraced. We are told to work harder, do more, achieve more, optimize everything, and somehow become endlessly productive.

Eventually, however, reality catches up with us.

We become exhausted. Relationships suffer. Anxiety grows. We discover that no matter how hard we try, we cannot be everything to everyone.

The Bible has a surprisingly healthy relationship with human limits. In Psalm 103, the psalmist writes that God remembers that we are dust. This is not a criticism. It is an act of compassion. God understands our humanity better than we do.

We often treat our limits as evidence of weakness. God treats them as part of creation.

Even Jesus embraced limits during his earthly life. He withdrew from crowds. He rested. He spent time in prayer. He did not heal every sick person in Israel or solve every problem he encountered. He faithfully carried out his calling without attempting to do everything.

That can be a difficult lesson for those of us who want to fix, rescue, manage, and control.

C. S. Lewis reminds us that humility is not self-hatred. It is simply seeing ourselves truthfully. Part of that truth is recognizing that we are not God.

Questions of wisdom often begin with accepting reality rather than fighting it.

The wisdom of limits teaches us that we do not have to carry every burden. We do not have to solve every problem. We do not have to prove our worth through constant activity.

We are human.

And perhaps accepting that reality is not a defeat at all.

Perhaps it is the beginning of freedom.

Prayer

Gracious God, help me embrace my humanity with humility and gratitude. Teach me to accept my limits without shame and to trust that your strength is present even where my abilities end. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. Which of your limits do you struggle most to accept?
2. How does our culture encourage people to ignore their limitations?
3. What might change if you viewed your limits as gifts rather than failures?