According to Henry Cloud, “We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change.” This prompting to change, brings us into the boundaries God established for our lives. With that in mind, boundaries are defined as unofficial rules about what should not be done; limits that define acceptable behavior. Boundaries define for us, what is acceptable and what is not.

At times, people see boundaries as restrictive, but those of us who understand God’s Word and have the desire to grow and be successful, see them as liberating, even necessary. Without boundaries, anything goes. The Bible teaches, without a vision the people run wild (Proverbs 29:18). If we don’t know where we are going and for what purpose, how will we ever know when we arrive? How will we know what to accomplish?

In my experience, I have found that many people fail to establish boundaries for their lives, resulting in a lack of control and disorder. For instance, the person without direction or discipline to accomplish goals in life, merely exists, waiting to get lucky and hoping something good will happen in their life. In comparison, the person with boundaries, or a set of do’s and don’ts, are more successful and accomplish more. Furthermore, boundaries also keep us from being over extended or spending more money than we have, helping us cultivate healthier habits and improving our ability to make better decisions.

Boundaries aren’t restrictive, they are liberating and will help us to live a more productive and fruitful life. Once boundaries are set, they will free us to live the life God has in store for us, but the choice to change is yours. As Shannon Alder stated, “The only real conflict you will ever have in your life won’t be with others, but with yourself.” Words are cheap, having boundaries requires action.

Just a Thought,

PSS