Stretched to Capacity

Have you ever questioned yourself and had doubts about whether or not you were on the right track in life? Or maybe you were even sure on some days that you were, but life happens and it makes you question your decisions or your path. You start to feel like your energy is spent and that the there is now a scarcity of passion or drive or enthusiasm. You realize you are stretched beyond what you believed you could handle. To stretch is to extend or lengthen something beyond the normal length.  The feeling of discomfort starts to flood your mind and even your body. This is not the time to ignore the nudging, this is exactly when you need to be more alert and sensitive to what is going on with your mind and body. 

Recently, I found that like many people these days, I was stressed and burnt out from running on empty fuel. I dare say I also discovered that I was stretched to capacity. What do I mean? 

The concept of being stretched may also mean bending personal rules or trying to get as close to breaking these rules as possible. Either you or life starts testing the limitations to see if you can actually go beyond or not. We find ourselves trying to push as hard as we can and end up breaking down. I did not have enough in my capacity tank to handle the things I was constantly taking on and allowing into my space. I did not also bother taking the time to refuel and refill that capacity tank. I kept pushing and stretching myself beyond what my current capacity could handle. So I became hungry and thirsty and tired and drained. Was this a bad thing? Yes. Was it also a good thing? Yes. It was a bad thing because then I did not have the capacity to do other things I needed and wanted to do because I had spent everything. I became nearly useless to myself and to those around me who were waiting eagerly for me to show up. It was a good thing because it brought a new level of self awareness and made me realize...you have some serious work to do!

What am I saying here? It's totally fine to be aware of the current limits and capacity you have but don't leave it at that, create new ones.

Sometimes God allows for us to be stretched, expanded beyond our comfort/capacity. Many times, we don't know what being stretched can do to us and for us. It brings out the best that has been buried within us.

The hunger and exhaustion that comes with being stretched to capacity is what causes you tap into the capacity God has placed in you. It brings the realization " there has to be more to life than this ". You start to question the norm and your way of doing things. You start to see that beyond your capacity, that there is another level of capacity God placed in you, that you haven't even started to tap into. Until you are stretched to what you have defined as your own capacity, you will continue to live an average life. It's actually best you don't wait until your energy is spent before you start to pray and ask God to help you walk in the fullness of what He has called you to be. We're not all perfect but we also can't continue to use that phrase as an excuse not to do better and expand our God given capacity. That God given capacity is what can change the world. 

So the next time you find yourself stretched, slow down and take inventory of your life, take a break and ask yourself, am I living or spending from my human capacity or the capacity from the God living in me. I believe you have picked up one or 2 things from today's episode. Don't hold back or give up on yourself, even when you're stretched to your capacity...it just means that there's more capacity in God. You just need to dig and bring it out. Have fun digging and stretching! Cheers!