S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Every one of us puts up emotional and mental boundaries in the interest of self-protection, and mental wellness professionals agree that boundaries are healthy. Spiritual boundaries are similarly b...

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November 23 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What sort of spiritual boundaries should we set in our lives?

Spiritual boundaries are essential limits that protect your inner peace, align actions with core values, and prevent emotional/energetic depletion. Key boundaries include guarding your time for rest and prayer, curating your influences (media/friendships), practising non-negotiable self-care, and, for believers, filtering advice through scripture.

Energetic Shields: Visualise a "cell wall" around your energy system that allows only positive, nourishing energy in while filtering out negativity.

Saying "No" Without Guilt: Protect your time and energy by declining commitments that do not align with your core values or that cause overextension.

Managing Empathy: Set boundaries around how much emotional energy you absorb from others to avoid burnout, particularly if you are an empath.

Releasing External Energies: Actively let go of emotions, thoughts, or negativity picked up from others through grounding techniques.

Prioritise Devotion: Schedule time for prayer, meditation, or scripture study to maintain your spiritual connection.

Guarding Your "Light": Limit time with people who habitually disrespect your spirit or take your kindness for weakness.

Proverbs 4:23 ESV "Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life."

The heart is mentioned about a hundred times in the book of Proverbs.In Proverbs 4:23, the term "heart" refers to "the inner person" or "secret self." Read Psalm 51:6.

In other words, "heart" refers to our private thoughts, feelings, motives, and desires. It is who we really are on the inside, not just who we appear to be on the outside.

Physical boundaries are important if we are to succeed in safeguarding our hearts. We must be able to identify dangers and react quickly to protect ourselves. The word translated as "safeguard" Proverbs 4:23 reminds us of the work of a watchman. In King Solomon's day, guards stood on the city walls and sounded an alarm if they saw danger approaching. That mental picture helps us understand what we must do to stop Satan from corrupting our thinking.

To safeguard our hearts, we must not only close them to wrong influences but also open them to positive influences. 

Physical boundaries are important. Think again about the illustration of a walled city. A gatekeeper closed the gates of the city to stop an enemy invasion, but at other times, he opened the gates to allow food and other supplies to be brought in. If the gates were never open, the inhabitants of the city would starve. Similarly, we need to open our hearts regularly to the influence of God's thinking.

We can remain faithful to God if, above all else, we safeguard our hearts and set spiritual boundaries in our lives.

3 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report