You may have heard the expressions “Stay in your own lane” or “Tend to your own garden” or “Clean up your side of the street.” Or even, in the South, “Not my pig, not my farm.” These familiar expressions are quite useful in the understanding of the biblical principle of boundaries. Boundaries help us to know what is within our responsibility and what is not. When we should intervene and when we should mind our own business. What is within our territory and what belongs to someone else. It takes the wisdom of healthy boundaries to know when to help someone with their burden, and when our help inhibits them from increasing their needed strength to carry their own pack.
When we are lacking in peace or sufficient abundance, it can often be traced back to the cause that we are not minding our borders. God grants us peace within our borders and fills us with the best of wheat.
When I focus on the Lord, when I take delight in the Lord and when I put my hope in the Lord, the Lord makes my gates strong and my border secure and safe ✝️ I praise the Lord for He is my border, He takes me where He wants me to go ✝️ and eat what He wants me to eat (gluten :-) ✝️ Psalm 147:11-14, “The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for Him. They put their hope in His faithful love. Jerusalem, praise the Lord. Zion, praise your God. He makes the metal bars of your gates stronger. He blesses the people who live inside you. He keeps your borders safe and secure. He satisfies you with the finest wheat.” Amen ❤️
Painful and hurtful personal experiences make one builds up walls or boundaries so others cannot come through the walls and boundaries to do hurt and cause pain…Only Jesus can make the walls or boundaries safe and secure when He is our fortress and refuge ✝️
Oh Kristin, when i first started reading this, I knew it was you. Thank you for continuing to share your gift with our community. What a fine line it is to have boundaries (clear is kind!) and to have the wrong attitude about engaging. I loved how you phrased it. At Oberlin visiting my daughter for family weekend! Yeah. Continued blessings to our community as we navigate our paths in accordance with the Lord.
Lord, please hear our continued prayers for those grieving the losses those who accompany us on the journey of our lives - our family, friends and extended community. Also our continued petitions for the Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, the Sudan, and all those suffering around the world - also for their strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.
Good morning LFF...Kristin, I love your explanations of why we may not be at peace with ourselves when we are focused on others...Lord, show me how to find that peace within my own boundaries in my journey to honour you and be a better person....loving peace to all today, and the whole world
Thank you, Kristin. This reflection offers reassurance of the Al-Anon principles.
This is so true in all aspects of life! I have a friend who’s a widow. I’m never sure if I’m imposing or helpful when I’m asking her to dinner or out to lunch or even if she just wants to talk. Sometimes I don’t do either and then worry about how she’s feeling, all alone.
Sandy please act. Your friend will communicate if she's feeling imposed upon. What would Jesus do?? Living faith family please keep praying for the souls in purgatory. Today's the first Friday of the month, stations of the cross. Ken
Lord Jesus, satisfy our hungry hearts with your own gift of finest wheat, Amen
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Nothing on earth is better than the peace that comes from loving The Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Amen Amen Amen