The Beauty of "Only"

Prompt: Only

// I tend to strain against my limitations, viewing them as a negative force in my life. I wish I could operate well on less sleep, run faster, multitask better, and learn language more quickly. I wish I didn’t need alone time to recharge and that I could handle ambient noise well and still think clearly about what I’m doing. 

The idea of “only” usually makes me stressed. Only 6 hours until I’m supposed to get up, only half an hour to make dinner, only 15 minutes until we need to leave. “Only” seems to indicate “not enough.”

But my limitations are actually a gift, if I will receive them as such, and “only” can be a profoundly beautiful word. God is mindful that I am only made of dust and He has compassion on me. He knows my weak frame and has made His power manifest in my weakness.

In fact, he left nothing up to me in terms of making myself worthy of His love and salvation – He has saved me by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. 

I can sleep knowing that He never does, I can accept my weakness knowing His strength is available for me, and I can bring Him my weariness and burdens and receive in exchange His light and easy burdens. I can receive my “only” as a gift and stop trying to be God by controlling everything and being everything. I am only me, and that is okay. //

I am continuing on with my Write 31 Days theme of "31 Days to Slowing Down and Living More Simply" with reflections based on my reading of Emily P. Freeman's book Simply Tuesday and the prompts given at the FMFW page. My "Five Minute Free Write" portion will be enclosed with // and any extra thoughts will follow.

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