Healthy Boundaries

I lived a good portion of my life without healthy boundaries. Folks coming in and out, making choices that they knew would hurt me, and | leaning on my religion and forgiveness to allow them right back in my space. Some would apologize. Others wouldn't. I used to believe it was better to keep people as friends than to know them as enemies. After all, "WWJD"?

When Peter asked Jesus how often he should forgive, the Lord said, "70x7. The Biblical principle here is to forgive always, as this is what the Lord has bestowed upon us.- Forgiveness of sins.

But forgiveness and communing are two separate things. To forgive is to release the offense, whereas communing is to let someone back in as if nothing happened.

Over the years, the Lord has done a restorative work in my heart. With this restoration has come freedom from others' opinions and the chains of the imbalance between what the word truly says and what it actually means. God never called us to mistreatment. Sure, we would encounter it, but it is not something we need to adapt to for the sake of the community.

Love isn't acceptance. Love is respect. It's honor. Respecting yourself and others, while honoring your boundaries.

For me, I don't have much to say, if anything at all, when I notice the parameters I set around my space being trampled. But my action is to peacefully remove you from my space with grace and forgiveness.

The welcome sign outside my door only allows for healthy entry.

I pray that you would examine your life and surrender it, and the people in it, to the Lord, and only commune with those who are willing to respect and honor you.

Be encouraged.

#bettyenicole #devotional