Boundaries
On Mother’s Day I enjoyed a day at the beach. As I sat on the sandy shore, I enjoyed watching and listening to the waves as they rolled in. It occurred to me the limits of just how far the sea would meet the sand, a natural boundary of the great creation of our Creator.
“God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” (Gen 1:10 ESV)
Boundaries put in place in all of creation for our safety, welfare, and goodness of life. Personal boundaries as defined are “guidelines, rules or limits that a person creates to identify reasonable, safe and permissible ways for other people to behave towards them and how they will respond when someone passes those limits” (Wikipedia).
There’s a saying that states we teach people how to treat us. Of course, if we don’t treat ourselves well or have self awareness of how we want to be treated and the ability to communicate that to others, how then will we get what we truly want?
It starts with ourself first, knowing who we are, having self-worth, and having healthy boundaries in place that line up with our values and hence how we want to be treated. Have you ever complained that you have too much on your plate or heard someone say they have trouble saying no? This is a boundary or lack thereof of a healthy boundary issue. We sometimes take ourselves for granted or try to meet others needs at the expense of our own well-being. Knowing your limits is key to a well-balanced life. At the extreme there are abusive relationships that go on for years and those looking in wonder how could this be?
There are many reasons and if we are not healed, whole, and have a healthy self-worth we can be susceptible to relationships that at the very least are not good for our health and well-being. Scripture states, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 7:12 NIV)
If you ask yourself if you are lining up with this scripture and you find that you fall short, become aware of how you allow people to treat you.
In the book “Boundaries: When to Say Yes When to Say No To Take Control of Your Life” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, they write that“boundaries are not walls…in every community, all members have their own space and property. The important thing is that property lines be permeable enough to allow passing and strong enough to keep out danger.”
Think about this guideline and measure it up to your own boundaries. Do you need to make an adjustment? It is clear that boundaries started at the very beginning of creation, it is not a new concept but some of us may not have really paid attention on a conscious level to how it effects our lives and our relationships. You can create even more fulfilling relationships by creating healthy boundaries and using scriptures from the Bible for guidance in living your life.
Rachel Lupercio
SUMMER SHAKE UP SERIES
GATHER HER || 07.13.17
FAITH + FASHION + FRIENDS + FREE
Topic: Purusing your dreams in every season of life!
Enjoy an evening with women just like you who want to explore their faith and love all things fashion!
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Panel: Elaine Mingues, Jan Goss-Gibson, Rachel Davis
Topic: Pursuing your dreams in every season of life
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