HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 47
page A45
• G E NE SI S 3 :1 6 -1 7 , 2 3 | Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your
pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but
he will rule over you.” And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from
the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All
your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. . . .” So the Lord God banished them
from the Garden of Eden.
• I SA I A H 3 8 :1 6 | Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health.
• H E B R E W S 1 2 :1 0 -1 1 | But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in
his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward
there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Failing to stay within God’s boundaries brings pain every time. It makes life harder than it
needs to be. Remembering past struggles from stepping outside God’s boundaries can
help keep you from repeating your mistakes.
How can I set boundaries for myself?
• R O MA NS 1 2 :2 | Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform
you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s
will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Serving the Lord is a lifetime priority. Rather than restricting you, setting boundaries will
eliminate the distractions that can keep you from accomplishing magnificent things for God.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 0 :2 9 , 3 2 -33 | (It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for
the other person.) . . . I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is
best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
God’s Word clearly states certain rules you must live by, like the Ten Commandments. But
God also asks you to refrain from doing things that aren’t clearly wrong but might offend
another person’s conscience.
• PR O VE R B S 2 1 :1 6 | The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company
of the dead.
Common sense is necessary in establishing personal boundaries. You can so easily get
into trouble when you make a decision based on impulse or emotion. When common
sense screams for you to say no, then don’t do it!
• E C C L E S I A S T E S 7 :1 3 | Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has
made crooked?
God’s boundaries are rules of the universe that will prevail. As the Creator, he set them up
in the way creation would best function. Accepting God’s boundaries will bring a happier
life because you can be assured that his limitations protect and guide you toward what is
best for you.
Brokenhearted See Encouragement; Grief
Building Up Others See Encouragement; Judging Others
Burnout See also Anxiety; Stress; Work
Burnout is the overwhelming exhaustion and inability to push on brought about by stress.
We all experience times of burnout when we feel tapped out emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. In our fast-paced world of twenty-four-hour service it isn’t surprising
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• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 7 :3 5 | I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you.
I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as
possible.
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The key is to learn how God can change the way you think. Study his Word to find out how
he thinks, and pattern your own thinking after his. Then you will find it easier to live within
the boundaries he has set for you.