All of us have limitations of some sort. If we think otherwise we are only fooling ourselves. However, what if some of what you’d name a limitation is a blessing in disguise? What if we were to discover our perceived limitations have the potential to liberate us into a more joy-filled life?

When healthy meets unhealthy.

Maybe the unhealthy seems obvious—too much of anything is not good. Any reasonable, responsible person knows certain limitations are wise. Limiting myself to a certain amount of discretionary spending may mean I won’t get deep in debt. Limited access to substances or people who may prove toxic goes a long way toward living a healthy life. Limited physical agility or strength may prevent me from attempting an activity that could result in broken bones, or worse.

Some limitations can’t be changed.

I can’t change my height—the reality is NBA players are typically tall. Nor can I change my bone structure—the reality is ballerinas are usually slim and petite.

On the other hand, if I really want to play ball or dance, the liberation comes when I figure out how I can be part of those worlds in a way that makes use of my strengths. Publicist or coach of a school or community team?  Pianist or costume designer at the local arts center?

Some limitations may change, or be temporary.

Heavy-duty dental work may limit my meal options for several days. Recovery from a serious illness may require weeks, even months of confinement. And yet, as limiting as these conditions may seem, liberation comes when I focus on the soft foods I can eat, or try some new ones I might not have otherwise considered. In the case of physical issues, to walk twenty paces a day instead of my usual mile will go a long way toward a return to longer workouts.

Some limitations make us stronger.

Truth be known, limitations, perceived or real—when viewed through the lens of how I can make the best of this situation—can be a vehicle for God to use to bring deep healing to our body, mind, or spirit.

It’s more than deciding to be an optimist rather than a pessimist. It’s more than trying to self-talk our way out of the situation or stubbornly attempt to will ourselves into a different mindset. It’s making the choice to see the fence—what we initially perceive as the limitation—as the support or partner for something beautiful that will transforms us into our new reality.

What kind of limits have I imposed on myself?

How might be open to making the distinction between the healthy and the unhealthy?

What if I saw what I considered to a limitation a means for liberation?