Trader Joe's is adored by a great many people for a great many reasons. One praise I have heard time and again is the fact that, when one shops in Trader Joe's, there is only one brand to choose from. The atmosphere therefore is entirely different than in most other grocery stores, where shopping happens amidst extensive variety and competition. Trader Joe's does not need to carry every brand of peanut butter that has ever been produced; It is constrained to be a grocery store with lovely, packaged snack and meal options, and it walks out that calling wonderfully.
Earlier this semester, the Horizons Fellows read a writing called “Constraint and Consent: Career and Motherhood" by Kate Harris. One example she used for a beneficial constraint was in the Incarnation, when God became man and constrained himself to a fleshy body, a specific time, and a geographical location. Jesus had diminished freedom compared to God the Father in Heaven, but these constraints allowed him to walk out his purpose on Earth and interact physically with His people. What Kate was getting at with this example is that constraints do not have to be seen as a negative thing. Sometimes boundaries, like being a parent, or being a student, or having a sick family member, provide clarity about our callings. We do not have to feel the pressure to do everything and be good at it all when we acknowledge the limitations set before us.
My attitude towards constraint has changed immensely over this semester, especially after the Horizon Fellows had our discussions on the topic. I was angry at the start of the semester that I would have to devote so much time, effort, and energy to my schoolwork. I felt that the difficulty of my work this semester would prevent me from being able to work on other things I care about, such as family, friendships, a relationship, keeping good habits and taking care of myself, and my clubs. All of these are good things to care for and to have. However, it is prideful not to acknowledge that everyone has limits to the amount of things they are able to do well. I felt like I had so many things to attend to and so many people to please and too much to do in a day, and that stress made me angry.
Constraint is my buzzword recently, and the answer to my resentment over feeling endlessly busy. I am constrained by my role as a Chemistry student here. I am constrained by the difficulty of this semester and the fact that I want to graduate "on time" this spring. I am constrained by the number of waking hours in the day. However, instead of feeling anger towards these constraints, I have begun to feel stronger in my purpose. I still work to make time to care for my health and the people around me, but I know that I do not need to do everything all the time because my primary job is just to be a student. I do not have to fawn and fulfill everyone's expectations perfectly, because I already have work set before me. It is work I am lucky to be able to do and work I want to honor the Lord in.
If you ever wonder what you should be doing all day and what your current purpose should be, just take a step back and see what tasks and responsibilities you already have set before you. In this discussion, variety is not the spice of life. The demands you already have are the ones you should fulfill to the best of your ability. Your purpose can be to live in your current role and not squander it. Remember Trader Joe's and how it rules over other grocery stores because it only seeks to be a grocery store. Remember Jesus Christ, who constrained himself into the body of a man so that He could love and rescue us. I will be confident in my constraints as a 4th year Chemistry student and as a human with relational limits, and I hope you will view your constraints in a positive way too, as boundaries to discern your best current purpose.