Success. Can You Handle It?
I once heard a phrase that since has changed my perception of life, especially when it comes to when shit happens. More recently I have come to understand this phrase even more deeply and it truly holds one of the keys to life as we live it. Hopefully through the following ramblings I can help you understand this very important concept. Here goes...
First thing you want to know though is what was that phrase I was referring to in the previous paragraph? Well it is simply this, and you can exchange the G word with one of your own beliefs or substitute in with the word "Life"!
Here it is:
"God never gives you ANYTHING you cannot handle!"
I'm sure you've heard that before haven't you? Well when I first heard it I simply interpreted it fairly usefully that if you are given a tough time then it means you have the strength and guts to get through it. With what I now know about how things work is that this is a somewhat negative view. It is true of course you can handle it but it's in the context of looking down and not necessarily looking up. When looking up (positive view of your world) it means that you will receive the desired things you can handle. To illustrate what I'm getting at here's a story that was relayed to me recently by an old friend I'll call Mac. Mac is a very successful family man and has a young tearaway of a son that sound very much like me at that age (and even now)... anyway here's the story he told me as best as I can remember it:
I once heard a phrase that since has changed my perception of life, especially when it comes to when shit happens. More recently I have come to understand this phrase even more deeply and it truly holds one of the keys to life as we live it. Hopefully through the following ramblings I can help you understand this very important concept. Here goes...
First thing you want to know though is what was that phrase I was referring to in the previous paragraph? Well it is simply this, and you can exchange the G word with one of your own beliefs or substitute in with the word "Life"!
Here it is:
"God never gives you ANYTHING you cannot handle!"
I'm sure you've heard that before haven't you? Well when I first heard it I simply interpreted it fairly usefully that if you are given a tough time then it means you have the strength and guts to get through it. With what I now know about how things work is that this is a somewhat negative view. It is true of course you can handle it but it's in the context of looking down and not necessarily looking up. When looking up (positive view of your world) it means that you will receive the desired things you can handle. To illustrate what I'm getting at here's a story that was relayed to me recently by an old friend I'll call Mac. Mac is a very successful family man and has a young tearaway of a son that sound very much like me at that age (and even now)... anyway here's the story he told me as best as I can remember it:
Life Lessons In Ice Cream
"My son is boisterous like any young tear-away. He doesn't walk anywhere he bounces, skips and runs. One day we were out and about and we came across a mobile icecream stand. The boy's eyes grew as large as the wheels on the van when he saw it and so it came as no surprise when he ustarted pleading with me to have a delicious icecream and cone. Being the dutiful father I gave in and he was in proud possession of this fantastic treat. 'Hold it tightly!", I said as I collected my change and looked down at him already licking it with delight.
Well we moved to make our way home and he was again bouncing along beside me one hand in mine and the other holding the icecream. Like a lot of kids he was easily distracted and so he was still gazing around at the world as we went along. Unfortunately this didn't help with what was a few moments early the most important thing in his life.... the icecream... Plop!!! Due to lack of experience and his still developing coordinations of his muscles etc. the icecream slipped from his had and hit the pavement, splat!
Oh, crap! I could see his face and knew what was coming next...face contorted, mouth open and for at least 10 seconds silence that was broken by absolute wailing. I managed to console him and promised to get him another (was the least I could do). Still sniffling we'd turned to the walk back up the road to the icecream van again. His disappointment was almost completely gone and his face was smiles again. In fact he had started to bounce again. The request out his mouth explained why. He had big ideas. 'Daddy, can I have 2 scoops this time?' For what seemed like 5 seconds but was probably only about 0.5 of second I ran that request through my mind and the answer came back a definite NO!
He looked disappointed but not much. But while I got him another icecream and then sat with him on a nearby wall until he'd finished it, I began to think about what had just happened.... There indeed were strong parallels to life in what happened to him. I wouldn't compare myself to God but in this case I am the one to provide for for him and similarly after watching what happened when he had 1 scoop I knew he certainly couldn't handle anymore than that....as a consequence he would not receive more. Just like life!"
Are you Ready?
That story perfectly sums up our lives. When you are ready to handle your desires you'll receive them. Think about it. Why would life give you 2 scoops if you couldn't yet handle 1?
I know I have in the past thought "Gosh, life is so unfair. So and so just walks in and the world bends over and they gets all the good things". Well more likely this "so and so" was more in a position to receive and handle the things he received. That's kind of how it goes and you can link this to anything in life you care to apply it. There is no victims out there we all get what we ask for and are ready to receive. Success! Can you handle it yet?
That story perfectly sums up our lives. When you are ready to handle your desires you'll receive them. Think about it. Why would life give you 2 scoops if you couldn't yet handle 1?
I know I have in the past thought "Gosh, life is so unfair. So and so just walks in and the world bends over and they gets all the good things". Well more likely this "so and so" was more in a position to receive and handle the things he received. That's kind of how it goes and you can link this to anything in life you care to apply it. There is no victims out there we all get what we ask for and are ready to receive. Success! Can you handle it yet?
 | email: colin@colinjrobertson.com  |
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