Trials beyond you abilities

[Anonymous]

Roy wrote:

We could cross stitch them on little pillows or frame them and hang them on our walls.

i love it…let’s get the patterns out to the RS and EQ… 😆

[Anonymous]

The funniest cross-stitched pillow I’ve EVER seen – and I can’t fathom seeing a funnier one – is pictured at the end of the post below. Read the post. The pillow won’t make sense if you don’t read the post. (The post and the comments are absolutely hilarious, as well.

“Balaam’s Butt” (http://bycommonconsent.com/2010/06/04/balaams-butt/)

[Anonymous]

As a person who is working in mental health I find this ideology, “God will never give you more than you can handle” stupid. I have seen people fall to their knees and not be able to get back up. People kills themselves, hurt their children, fall into horrible addictions, have severe disabilities etc. At this time I really don’t believe God gives us trials. I think life just happens. I would hope on some level God plays a more active role than I know in helping us through the struggles we encounter.

[Anonymous]

red1988 wrote:

As a person who is working in mental health I find this ideology, “God will never give you more than you can handle” stupid. I have seen people fall to their knees and not be able to get back up. People kills themselves, hurt their children, fall into horrible addictions, have severe disabilities etc. At this time I really don’t believe God gives us trials. I think life just happens. I would hope on some level God plays a more active role than I know in helping us through the struggles we encounter.

I actually think it is more therapeutic to just accept that crap happens and there is no reason for it other than that is life. Trying to make sense out of horrific situations seems to be an exercise in wasted energy. Actually I think individuals believe somehow God is going to rescue them. If they can just hang on a little longer God is going to acknowledge their pain and swoop in and make it better. Sadly this is not what seems to happen. More likely you just suffer and maybe die.

To avoid being a fatalist I do not think suffering has no upside. I just look at life as a whole instead of individual segments. Hopefully when I die and if there is a heaven then just maybe my experiences will mean something no matter how good or bad they are. Maybe life in heaven or reincarnation or whatever requires learning by experience there just is no other way. So really I can not look at individual segment of my life and try to find meaning for each. I just have to look at life as a whole after I am done and use that whole earthly experience to move forward.

[Anonymous]

I believe this is what is known as a “useful myth”. If we believe that we will not have trials beyond our abilities, we are much more likely to overcome those we do encounter. I have a tendency towards defeatism, so this is useful to me. If I don’t employ this, I won’t just fail the impossible trials, but the soluble ones as well.

I have seen amazing changes in people. I know folk who have been murderers, heroin addicts, violent alcoholics, thieves, convicts and so on, all change and become wonderful people. I know it can happen.

[Anonymous]

SamBee wrote:

I believe this is what is known as a “useful myth”. If we believe that we will not have trials beyond our abilities, we are much more likely to overcome those we do encounter. I have a tendency towards defeatism, so this is useful to me. If I don’t employ this, I won’t just fail the impossible trials, but the soluble ones as well.

I have seen amazing changes in people. I know folk who have been murderers, heroin addicts, violent alcoholics, thieves, convicts and so on, all change and become wonderful people. I know it can happen.

I guess it can work both ways.

[Anonymous]

Can we even know what is the capacity of our abilities? We don’t know until we try. Even if we fail, we can try again. as Cadence and SamBee point out, what works for one, doesn’t work for all.

So, can we really know what is beyond our abilities?

It seems this teaching is to keep us trying, believing we can overcome. It may not really correlate to what we really can or can’t do…but the myth can motivate persistence.

[Anonymous]

It often feels everything is beyond my abilities just now. Getting a job, getting married, being happy, or at least artistically successful. I don’t know how to deal with certain mental health issues of mine at all.

But it does feels great when one gets through something you thought was impossible.

[Anonymous]

I know how you feel SamBee. My mantra this year…”just keep swimming.” – Dora the fish.

My theme song this year is from Jack’s Mannequin

Quote:

“Swim”

You’ve gotta swim

Swim for your life

Swim for the music

That saves you

When you’re not so sure you’ll survive

You gotta swim

And swim when it hurts

The whole world is watching

You haven’t come this far

To fall off the earth

The currents will pull you

Away from your love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave

Begging to tear down the dawn

Memories like bullets

They fired at me from a gun

A crack in the armor

I swim to brighter days

Despite the absence of sun

Choking on salt water

I’m not giving in

I swim

You gotta swim

Through nights that won’t end

Swim for your families

Your lovers your sisters

And brothers and friends

Yeah you’ve gotta swim

Through wars without cause

Swim for the lost politicians

Who don’t see their greed as a flaw

The currents will pull us

Away from our love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave

Begging to tear down the dawn

Memories like bullets

They fired at me from a gun

Cracking me open now

I swim for brighter days

Despite the absence of sun

Choking on salt water

I’m not giving in

Well I’m not giving in

I swim

You gotta swim

Swim in the dark

There’s no shame in drifting

Feel the tide shifting and wait for the spark

Yeah you’ve gotta swim

Don’t let yourself sink

Just find the horizon

I promise you it’s not as far as you think

The currents will drag us away from our love

Just keep your head above

Just keep your head above

Swim

I think we are best to take things one day at a time, and find ways to be at peace with the here and now, and just keep moving forward hoping for our wants and wishes, but not at the expense of the things that can make us happy now. Easier said than done, but it is usually with small, steady, daily effort, and a positive mind to allow yourself to be happy just the way you are now.

You’re a good friend. Thanks for posting on this board. :thumbup:

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