Leave Omnipotence to God

Composed by: Sr. Mary Magdalene

I recently was feeling overwhelmed by a “good deed” that I had agreed to do several years ago.  The problem arose that my original “gift” had grown a great deal in those years, and, although I was still happy to continue, it had grown to the point that it had become personally and professionally difficult to sustain.  I knew that I needed to set some boundaries in order to be both a good steward and a good servant, but I admit to being hesitant about how to proceed to do that in a compassionate way.

I consulted a friend whose insight and honesty I’ve always appreciated.  He responded very simply.  “It’s good to set boundaries,” he said, “It helps us to recognize that we are not God.”

His words struck a chord with me.  It is important to be generous with our families, our communities, and our world.  A bit more generosity and a sense of mutual responsibility will always yield more good than staunch individualism does.  It is also important to recognize our own limitations and, when necessary, to have a willingness (and humility) to communicate those limitations to others.  Our abilities and resources are finite!  In other words, we are not God.

A generous heart is a beautiful thing, and our desire to do some good for another is quite a dear virtue.  This inclination should always be considered worthy of pursuing.  In fact, some can be moved to truly great acts of virtue and heroism. But do not be afraid to set healthy boundaries when necessary.  What I mean is this:  if you’re contributing something you know to be beyond your resources, there is the distinct possibility that you are “stealing” time, energy, financial security, and perhaps more from others in order to provide for that particular experience.  We are not inexhaustible, and, perhaps more importantly, we are not expected to be inexhaustible. Setting limits need not be a selfish act!  It may, indeed, be a very humble and loving response.

I think it can sometimes be a very blurred line between what we think we are doing “for God” and what we do as a natural extension and result of our eyes being fixed upon God.  I remember reading a story about Mother Teresa and her unwavering commitment to spending an hour before the Blessed Sacrament prior to starting her active missionary work.  She was asked why she spent that amount of time in the Chapel each day rather than starting immediately in to helping the poor.  Wouldn’t she be getting more done (for God) if she just set right out to do the work?  She responded that the work could not possibly be accomplished without first sitting in silence with the Lord and allowing herself to be filled by God’s Grace.  Eyes fixed on Jesus, Mother Teresa recognized her limitations, such as they were, and set a kind of “boundary,” a boundary to insure that her intentions were firmly rooted in Him.  The “work” is His, after all.  Ours is primarily a privilege of participation in that work.

So perhaps we can settle in and take a few moments each day to allow God the opportunity to tend to our heart, fill us with His Grace and direct our hands and feet in His service.  Let’s leave the omnipotence to Him.  “It’s good to set boundaries.  It helps us recognize that we are not God

Image Source: The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo