In the Upper Room Life Group my husband and I lead at our church, we're currently doing a study titled Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, Zondervan Publishers, 2007. This particular boundaries study is subtitled, "When to say yes, how to say no, to take control of your life."
No doubt you've heard it said that "Good fences make good neighbors". That's true. Boundaries are like fences in our lives that help us know where our property, or responsibility, ends and someone else's begins. You know where your property line is around your home, right? You mow your yard, your neighbor mows his. Our boundary lines, or fences, do need to have gates so we can let the good in and the bad out. (In case your neighbor's dog jumps your fence). :o) You are not responsible for people any more than you are responsible to mow your neighbor's lawn. You are responsible to your neighbor. You treat him right, but you don't do his work for him unless he asks you to and you agree of your own free will.
I need to take responsiblity for my own feelings, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, choices and thoughts. I can't blame anybody else for making me feel a certain way; how I choose to feel and react is up to me.
When it came to overeating, I couldn't blame anybody but myself for my choices. In doing this study, the Holy Spirit gave me a personal revelation in my spirit that I didn't have healthy boundaries in the area of eating. Now when I feel satisfied during a meal and if I should encounter a thought that says, "go ahead; one more serving won't hurt," I see that thought as an enemy trying to crash my boundaries. Something (or should I say, Someone) rises up in me and I say "NO!" I protect my boundaries because I am a valuable piece of property in God's sight. I am protecting the temple of God, for His Spirit lives in me. I've noticed that I just automatically take smaller portions than I used to. I've noticed I have a desire to eat more vegetables and salads. I didn't plan it that way, although I know all the "diet rules". Diets are bondage to me. I live in freedom -- freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit. I give all the praise to God and the precious Holy Spirit for changing me. Lasting change has to come from within -- not a set of diet plans in my head.
Proverbs 25:28 tells us "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls". (No boundaries). Wow, there it is in the Bible. I used to live with broken-down walls.
I've been on my new journey of protecting my boundaries in the area of eating since the first week in September of this year. I daily ask the Holy Spirit to help me eat right, look good, feel good, and weigh my goal weight. I declare He is my Helper, and I thank Him for His help daily. I have learned He is my best Friend because He loves me unconditionally. And the excess weight is slowly coming off -- ten and one half pounds to date since the middle of September (about 2 months) when I started keeping record of my weight.
I felt I should write about this subject today because so many people struggle with the crazy cycle I mentioned earlier. I am a work in progress, but I am not following a "diet". I depend on the Holy Spirit to give me the right desires, and He does if I ask Him. I still have a long way to go, but I'm not afraid I'll fall back into the old patterns. It is a journey of joy and fellowship with the Lord.
Perhaps this holiday season I can encourage you to let the Holy Spirit give you healthy boundaries and be pleasantly filled instead of stuffed. :o) I wrote a teeny humorous poem on this subject about two weeks ago; I hope you enjoy it.
Talkin' Turkey
I'm thankful for the turkey,
Potatoes, gravy, stuffing;
I'm thankful for the oyster stew.
But if thankfulness means stuffin'
My belly till I'm puffin',
I'd rather do without -- thank you!
Elaine Beachy
November 11, 2011
Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy
No comments:
Post a Comment