Habits & Boundaries Do Not Restrict Freedom. They Promote It!

Did you know that we purportedly make over 35,000 decisions a day? That’s 2,000 per hour or one decision every two seconds.😳

Unlike a computer that’s programmed with a gazillion if-then scenarios, we have the added fun of emotional, physical, relational & financial factors that cloud our decisions.

I once read that habits & boundaries do not restrict freedom, but actually promote it! When we have a habit in place, like working out on certain days, or deciding to drink a gulp of water every time we’re about to eat, it saves the mental energy of deciding WHEN to do those things or determining HOW to fit them into our schedule.

It’s almost like the habit or boundary makes a decision non-negotiable, serving as a habitual fence to make responses automatic!

In Luke 22, Jesus tells Peter & John to prepare the Passover meal. When they ask where, He gives them very specific details as if He’d called ahead. The men do not question their Lord, but walk on & find everything, ‘just as Jesus had said.’

They don't question. There is no hesitation. They take the Lord at His Word, trusting that they’d find everything, “just as Jesus said.”

How might our daily decisions change or even lessen if we approached our risen Savior with the same childlike faith?

How might our heart remain steady when “bad” news is delivered to our doorstep? Will we quake or remain confident, knowing things will end up just like Jesus said?

Psalm 90 is FULL of future promises we can proclaim with “just like Jesus said” confidence!

The Lord promises that He will:

•Rescue us if we love Him

•Protect us when we trust Him

•Answer us when we call on Him

•Be with us, rescue & even honor us when we’re in trouble!

The next time we’re facing unexpected decisions, may we approach them with a “just like Jesus said” confidence & pray,

“As I love You & trust You, Jesus, I thank You for the rescue & protection You promise! As I call on You, I await with confident expectation of Your answer! You are Emmanuel, God with me! Lead my thoughts to remain fixed on things just like Jesus said rather than the contrary things I often say to myself. I choose today, to habitually take You, The Word, at Your Word!”

#OneYearBible #habits #boundaries

April 23rd One Year Bible Readings

JUDGES 1:1-2:9

LUKE 21:29-22:13

PSALM 90:1-91:16

PROVERBS 13:24-25

Boundaries are Created not to Sever a Relationship, but to Preserve It

I didn’t know how much I didn't know about boundaries until recently. As I look back on my parenting years, I realize how little I modeled healthy boundary setting.😬

A boundary is a property line that defines where you begin & end. It’s not established to sever relationships, but to preserve them.

I just learned (from the book “Boundaries” that I’m only responsible FOR myself & nobody else, not even my children.

We are called TO love one another, not BE one another.

Our parents, children, & friends are their own person & we can’t 

👉🏽feel FOR them, 

👉🏽think FOR them, 

👉🏽act FOR them 

👉🏽or even grow FOR them.

The blessings & consequences they face are a sum of their own decisions. I AM responsible, however, TO my children & others in my life.

Peter reminds us to make every effort TO supplement our faith with...brotherly affection & love.

We are responsible TO help others bear the burden during heavy seasons, but only for a short season.

If destructive behavior is involved, we’re responsible TO create a healthy boundary that defines where we end & they begin.

What we are NOT called to do, however, is become responsible FOR carrying the backpack of their everyday burdens. We all have those, & on the daily, we are not given more than we can bear.

When we continue to rescue someone from their poor decisions, we are only setting ourselves up to have to do it again. It reinforces a pattern for them not to take responsibility for their own life & for us to continue as a counterfeit rescuer.

Boundary setting is hard. I’ve slipped into codependency land far too many times. It FEELS good, but doesn’t DO good.

When I choose to carry someone’s responsibilities for too long, I’m only prolonging the time when the person will HAVE to take ownership of his or her own life.

People who are angry about your boundaries are the very same people who benefited when you didn’t have them. Boundaries may be hard, but sometimes they’re the best way to love.

The bottom line is that we’re called TO love. I am reminded this morning that anytime I become a counterfeit rescuer, I rob the receiver of the opportunity to experience The Rescuer, Jesus, who longs to love them & be their Lord.

#OneYearBible #Boundaries

November 27th One Year Bible Readings

DANIEL 4:1-37

2 PETER 1:1-21

PSALM 119:97-112

PROVERBS 28:17-18