As I was doing yard work yesterday on my day off of work (yes, I do my own yard work) I realized after a while, after I had stopped, that I had done too much. Now, let’s be honest here. I’m not that young any more, and I’m not in as great shape as I’d like to think. I’m pushing 40, and I’ve got more than one strike against me when it comes to physical limitations. But I’ll admit it, I overworked myself.
How did I know I had done too much? Maybe it was that my hands were still numb and tingly 30 minutes after I was done. Maybe it was the fact that I fell asleep on the couch before the kids’ bedtime routine even started. All I know is that one minute I’m working, and the next minute I’m flat on my back, wondering which truck hit me. Everything after that (and most of today, as well) has been a blur.
What happened is that I couldn’t tell when I had reached my limit. As long as I could keep moving and working, then I must be okay, right? Until I stop (or am forced to stop) and realize just how much I overdid it. It’s easy to see in hindsight, like most problems. I should know after all these years how far I can push myself without causing adverse physical effects, but I don’t. I get so caught up with doing what I think needs to be done, I miss the signs, and next thing you know I’ve blown myself up.
Why don’t we know when to stop? We change physically over time. Just because I could work in the heat for 8 hours when I was 20 doesn’t mean I can do it when I’m 40. Just because something we did worked years ago doesn’t mean it will still work like we remember. Sometimes our memories of something supersede our current circumstances, often to our own detriment. If I don’t exercise daily, then my threshold for exercise slowly declines.
That sounds awfully familiar…
So what happens in our lives when we are “working” on something God set us out to do, but it’s been a long time since we’ve checked in? What happens when God gives us a direction, and we run with it indefinitely? We stray off-course, we run on our own strength, and eventually we run out of steam and end up falling flat on our backs. Why does God allow us to do this? Why does He let us run ahead of our calling? Why does he allow us to plow ahead when it’s clearly wrong? Perhaps it’s so that we can, over time, learn to trust Him for directions. Not just long term, but on a daily basis.
As a hard worker, I’m conditioned to get my instructions and work on them until further notice. That works well for some jobs, but following God isn’t a job: it’s a calling. It’s a lifestyle, it’s an ongoing journey. If I don’t listen to God daily, then my threshold for hearing God slowly declines. Next thing I know, I’m working away… headed completely in the wrong direction, and out of God’s will.
And the scary part is, you can start off in the right direction and still go off track. How is that possible?? Because when God tells you which direction to go, he doesn’t always (read: hardly ever) tell you the end destination. He just tells you how to get there, turn by turn, in a way that requires you to stop and ask Him for directions before every turn.
What happens when you ask someone for directions when traveling? You ask “How do I get to there?” and the person will say “Take a right here…” and if you take off right then and there, you’ll start off going in the right direction. And you’re going places! But after a while, you pass crossroad after crossroad, or you come to a fork in the road, and you keep on going straight without realizing the path turned. Because, by golly, you’re going in the right direction.
What if you were trying to give directions to someone who wasn’t familiar with the area at all? You probably couldn’t use landmarks. What if most of the road signs were in disrepair? Any verbal directions you could give would be meaningless without a frame of reference… without them having been there before. It would require you riding with them, and telling them where to go, turn-by-turn. And where does God want to bring us? Usually, its a place we haven’t been before.
So how does this tie into boundaries? Much like when I was cutting grass, if I plow ahead without listening to my body, I will find myself in trouble. If I drive on without slowing down to check my directions, I will end up away from where I want to be. I need to be able to go slow enough to see the street signs as they come up, or I will miss my turn. Guard rails are there to keep you from going where you’re not supposed to go… but boundaries alone won’t get you there. You need directions.
I need to be willing to hit my knees on a regular, daily basis and ask for direction. I may not get instructions on a daily basis, but if I forget to ask, I certainly won’t. I need to pay attention to boundaries, and stay away from the edge of the road when it could lead to disaster.
Slow down. Listen to God. Pray. Read the Word. Don’t be in a hurry, because God speaks in that still, small voice.
Know your boundaries, and ask for directions.