More on Boundaries
Having been declared righteous then by faith we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
Establishing boundaries is a discipline. To this end, Oswald Chambers once commented, “Impulse is alright in a child, but it is disastrous in a man. Impulse has to be trained into intuition by discipline.”
The things men tend to resist the most — limits, boundaries, rules, and restrictions — are the very things we need the most in order to experience freedom. This sounds like a paradox, but it’s true. Resisting is like trying to jump the fence but not realizing that the Grand Canyon waits on the other side. We will never know the terrors we have escaped when we find the true freedom inside God’s boundaries.
When we understand that true freedom requires restraint, we will see these scriptures in a new light. God doesn’t establish boundaries just to see if we can be good and follow the rules. He gave us boundaries to keep us and our loved ones safe from moral and spiritual failure and to make us good and faithful husbands, dads, and men of God. He puts them there to help us experience the truly abundant life Jesus come to give.
Good boundaries help us finish the course. They clarify our convictions. They provide us with clear moral direction by assigning a healthy, predetermined path when situations arise. They draw the florescent lines that we will not cross because of our love for Christ and our desire to see His plan realized in all areas of our lives.
Thank you Father, for allowing me to set my boundaries within your love.