Weekly Thought – September 11, 2018
Fred’s masterful understanding of human nature and scriptural principles gave him stability in his life and in his relationship with others. His ability to take everyday experiences and turn them into object lessons made all of life an “illustration adventure.”
Don’t Overload Your Circuits
We are always warned by the electric company not to overload a circuit. That is sound advice. When I noticed I have six plugs on one outlet I thought about the admonition, but I knew the danger was only potential. Why? Because I only use one of the devices at one time and none will max out the circuitry by themselves. If I decided to turn them on all at once. Or, if Mary Alice plugged in and tried to use all her kitchen appliances simultaneously, the circuitry would undoubtedly be overloaded and there would be a power outage. I remember the years before modern breaker boxes when I had to replace fuses and then remind everyone about the limits of the circuitry.
Overloading happens in our lives, as well. We max our circuitry when we have high levels of potential involvements, emotional experiences, or time commitments. As long as we balance them we keep from frying our system. The trouble comes when we try to flip the switch and do too much at one time – we blow a fuse.
The critical point is the relationship between the number of items on a circuit and the use of these devices. Both elements have to be in play. How does this play out in our lives? For example, one can take on fourteen commitments as long as none of them is so demanding to pull power from the others. Or, if several of them are in play simultaneously the human being can overload.
If commitments or activities compete for the current, danger exists. Different items pull different amounts of power for emotional and mental output. We need to understand well the demands of each commitment, measuring carefully the energy each will require and how it will interplay with other activities.
A simple example: in the years when I was doing much speaking it was an activity which was energy producing, so the output and the input were equal. If the work of preparing had not been met with positive response and the sense I was helping, the energy required would have been too much.
To avoid overload, you must reach an equilibrium point where the amount you give and the amount you receive must add up to a positive energy ampage. We burn out when the energy expended (whether psychic, emotional, spiritual, or physical) is not offset by the energy produced.
Remember, it is not the number of tasks, but the net energy required that determines the point of overload.
This week think about: 1) What is giving me energy right now? 2) How close have I come to burn out? 3) Where am I learning to measure the energy input/output?
Words of Wisdom: “The trouble comes when we try to flip the switch and do too much at one time – we blow a fuse.”
Wisdom from the Word: “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5 NET Bible)