We all have our breaking point. And it’s tempting to focus on the latest issue that took us over the edge. But like the single piece of straw that broke the camel’s back, often the deeper issues have already been brewing beneath the surface. And wisdom calls for us to address these issues before we get to our breaking point.
For instance, we’re completely enraged when someone just happens to cut us off in traffic or our kid accidentally breaks a glass dish. Or perhaps we’re intensely upset when a friend postpones our plans together or rain knocks out our weekend activities.
On the surface, some responses are reasonable to these moments. But an over-the-top response would suggest there’s more going on beneath the surface. And this latest incident is likely just the final straw that took us over the edge.
For example, when our work has already been frustrating or we’re going through a particularly hard season of family life, it’s likely our fuse is also shorter in dealing with the normal hassles that come our way. Likewise, when we’ve been dealing with a number of unacknowledged setbacks and deep griefs, one more is like rubbing salt in wounds we didn’t know we had.
Of course, the latest incident matters and still needs our attention, but it should be measured against the totality of everything else. Removing the last piece of straw matters little when we don’t also adjust the total load we’re carrying. And we will likely continue overreacting to relatively small matters when we don’t step back and address the larger ones.
In the end, issues tend to build long before the final straw takes us out. Wisely manage this load well before reaching your breaking point.
