Over the weekend I caught a news story about an Italian man named Alex Bellini whose goal was to row across the Pacific to Australia. After traveling ten months and 9,500 nautical miles (approximately 11,000 miles if my calculations are correct), he stopped just 65 nautical miles (about 74 miles) short of his final destination. In February 2008 the adventurer had set out from the country of Peru in a 25 foot boat, but rough weather and extreme fatigue prohibited him from reaching his goal. He had to be rescued by Australian authorities.

I was interested in knowing the motivation behind this adventure, so upon reading a little further into the article my question was answered. He said he was not doing it to set a record, but rather to “cross the Pacific…but the other reason of my trip was to make a trip inward. So it was discovering something of myself.” Basically, this guy was seeing how far he could push himself.

Personally, I have nothing but respect for Alex because even though he did not accomplish the goal on his own, he had enough wisdom to know when it was time to call for assistance. In my mind, Alex did make it to Australia but just needed a little help to do so. Ultimately, I believe God has promised to be “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1), but I also believe we must recognize our limitations. When you are arriving at a place of exhaustion, don’t be scared to ask someone to come alongside to carry your load. Paul commands those who are followers of Christ to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). “Bearing one another’s burdens” pictures one who helps carry a load which is too heavy for someone to carry on his own.

You are 74 miles off shore and need to reach your goal. Who will be your lifeline?