Boundaries are not about being hateful or selfish. However, they are beneficial in terms of living a happy, healthy, prosperous and productive life. Time is precious and boundaries help protect the time we have been given. Time is a commodity that we can’t gain back.
“Time doesn’t wait for your permission as it passes by—it seeks your attention to prioritize what matters most.”
Psalms 90:12 says, “Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise.”
One of the ways that we can become wise and make the most of our lives is by setting healthy boundaries.
– A boundary is a personal property line.
– Boundaries help define who you are and they make it clear what you prioritize.
– Boundaries help define what you value.
– Boundaries determine who and what you allow into your life.
– Boundaries help define who and what you are responsible for.
– Boundaries are beneficial in every area and aspect of your life.
– Boundaries create safe healthy parameters.
The difference between a swamp and a river is banks—and those banks are boundaries.
The difference between a “mess” and “momentum” is usually healthy and intentional boundaries.
*Most of the time we don’t want to set boundaries because we don’t won’t to appear as being insensitive, mean or selfish.
Nonetheless, in Matthew 14 Jesus shows us that it is not mean, hateful or insensitive to set boundaries. The passage tells us, that after He had fed them, blessed them and taught them—He sent them away.
Boundaries are beneficial and they help prioritize what matters the most.
Boundaries Impact All Areas of Our Life:
1. Physical boundaries help determine who touches you and who is in your personal space and under what circumstances.
2. Mental boundaries give you the freedom to have your our own thoughts and opinions.
3. Emotional boundaries help you deal with your own emotions and disengage from the harmful manipulative emotions of others.
4. Spiritual boundaries help you distinguish God’s will from your own and from others. They will give you a freedom from your Creator and Maker that will establish peace and liberation.
Can you see why boundaries are so important now?
Boundaries deal with every area of our lives.
What You Need to Realize
About Boundaries
1. You can set boundaries and still be a loving and kind person.
2. Boundaries that are legitimate still need to be established with wisdom and in balance.
3. Boundaries aren’t selfish; because they can truly benefit everyone involved.
Most of us don’t need more time, we just need more selective priorities and more intentional boundaries.
Priorities and boundaries are what guard and grow the time that you’ve been given. They help protect you and your time.
“Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise.” Psalms 90:12
One of the ways that we gain wisdom and make the most of our lives is by setting healthy boundaries.
Lord, give us the wisdom and the courage to be intentional about creating healthy boundaries that will benefit everyone—amen.
“A father is tender and kind to his children. In the same way, the Lord is tender and kind to those who have respect for him. He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are dust. The life of human beings is like grass. People grow like the flowers in the field. When the wind blows on them, they are gone. No one can tell that they had ever been there. But the Lord’s love for those who have respect for him lasts for ever and ever. Their children’s children will know that he always does what is right.” Psalm 103:13-17
“Later, Jesus went to Jerusalem for a special Jewish festival. In Jerusalem there is a pool with five covered porches. In Aramaic it is called Bethzatha. This pool is near the Sheep Gate. Many sick people were lying on the porches beside the pool. Some of them were blind, some were crippled, and some were paralyzed. One of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years. Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been sick for a very long time. So he asked him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered, “Sir, there is no one to help me get into the water when it starts moving. I try to be the first one into the water. But when I try, someone else always goes in before I can.” Then Jesus said, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Immediately the man was well. He picked up his mat and started walking. The day all this happened was a Sabbath day. So some Jews said to the man who had been healed, “Today is the Sabbath. It is against our law for you to carry your mat on the Sabbath day.””
People are always watching and listening, whether we realize it or not. They may not remember every word we say, but they will remember how we respond when life gets difficult. Our reactions to adversity, setbacks, and challenges often speak louder than our successes. Someone is learning from your example, drawing strength trom your perseverance, or being influenced by your attitude. That’s why our response matters. The way we handle life’s difficult moments can either inspire hope, demonstrate character, and encourage others—or do the opposite. Be mindful, because your response may be making a bigger impact than you know.
You are uniquely and wonderfully made. You were created on purpose, for a purpose. You have meaning, value and worth!
Once upon a time, some animals wanted to start a school. They decided the courses would include running, climbing, swimming, and flying. Then they decided that all of the animals should take all of the courses.
That’s where the problem started.
The duck was better than his teacher at swimming, but he only made passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. So they made him drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his webbed feet to be badly worn, and his grade dropped to average in swimming. But everybody felt less threatened and more comfortable with that—except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but because of so much makeup work in swimming, he caught pneumonia and had to drop out of school.
The squirrel showed outstanding ability in climbing, but he was extremely frustrated in flying class because the teacher insisted that he start from the ground up rather than the treetop down. He developed charley horses from overextension, so he only got a “C” in climbing and a “D” in running.
The eagle was the problem student and was disciplined for being a nonconformist. For instance, in climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but he insisted on flying to get there. Finally, because he refused to participate in swimming class, he was expelled.
As you might imagine, the animals’ school didn’t work.
Different animals are designed to excel in specific areas, and they can’t be expected to do all the other things. A duck is made to be a duck—not anything else.
It’s the same for people. God has designed each person different from all the others. When you expect everyone to fit in the same mold, the result is frustration, discouragement, mediocrity, and failure.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves to someone else. This creates either pride or feelings of low self esteem.
It’s so easy to get frustrated. I get frustrated with you because you’re not like me and I get frustrated with myself because I’m not like you.
Or we experience the Imposter Syndrome-we are familiar with this and have in some form or the other felt or experienced this.
However, Ephesians says that we are the workmanship of God created beforehand for good works.
Workmanship is where we get our word—poem. It signifies a work of art. It as if when you were born God picked up a pen and started writing your life story or started painting a picture of what your life was going to be.
You are a unique masterpiece. You are a unique creation.
No one else is exactly like you.
It’s your shape that makes you uniquely you.
S-strengths: what you have developed over time that you are good at.
H-heart: what you desire, what is important to you, what you hold near and dear and value.
A-abilities: what you are good at that comes naturally.
P-personality: your basic nature, how and why you do what you do.
E-experience: what you have encountered that has now become something that you have built upon.
Don’t dare compare—you are a unique masterpiece—you be you!
“If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.”
—Ecclesiastes 10:10
Most of us, if we were to chop wood, probably wouldn’t use an ax. Maybe a chainsaw and wood splitter, but probably not an ax.
However, the analogy in Ecclesiastes 10 is not just about an ax, I believe it’s a metaphor about us and us being dull instead of being sharp. It’s about how it takes more effort when we lose our edge.
Being sharp helps cut through resistance quicker! It also makes us sharper for the daily routines of life.
The word dull simple means, “lacking.” Have you ever felt like that you have lacked wisdom, lacked vision, lacked creativity, lacked imagination, lacked good judgement, lacked confidence, or lacked compassion. Me too.
The realization alone should demand a change. It should initiate a reset.
Nevertheless, there is another word that stuck out to me in this verse as well. That word is wisdom. Wisdom means: good sense, skill and prudence.
Prudence means: the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason.
Another words, wisdom makes me aware that I’m dull. It allows me to realize that I’ve lost my edge. And, it will give me the ability to govern myself in order to do something about it! And ultimately, over time, this will bring with it success.
Here’s the problem with the ax being dull, you don’t know it is dull until you begin to use it. And, you don’t realize that you’ve lost your edge until you begin to engage in something that demands intentional effort.
Nonetheless, when you do realize it, you need to stop chopping and start sharpening. Step away and refresh, reflect, refocus, reset, and realign.
What happens when you become dull? What happens when you lose your focus? What happens when you lose your edge?
– Work gets harder and tasks take more energy.
– You don’t have the strength to put forth the effort that is needed.
– Things become a bigger deal and you feel overwhelmed.
– Your mind consistently drifts and you lose focus easily.
– Frustration becomes inevitable because goals appear unattainable.
So, what do you do?
Reflect (think about where you are and what got you to this point) → Realign → Refocus → Readjust
1. Realign – Get back in the right direction.
2. Refocus – Fix your attention on what matters most.
3. Readjust – Make the changes needed to move forward effectively.
* Pause. Realign. Refocus. Readjust.
* Realign your heart. Refocus your mind. Readjust your actions.
* Realign your priorities. Refocus your purpose. Readjust your path.
Sharpening an ax and chopping with an ax requires two different postures:
* You stand to chop, but you sit to sharpen.
* You react while chopping, but you become intentional while sharpening.
* You keep moving when you chop, but you pause when you sharpen.
Chopping gets the work done for today; sharpening prepares you for the work ahead.
The challenge is that most people make time to chop but never take time to sharpen.
You have to step away from the routine of the process in order to sharpen the edge.
When you pause to rest, reflect, learn, and grow, you become more effective in every area of life.
Sharpening may feel like you’re losing ground, but it’s actually preparing you to move farther, faster, and with greater impact.
Take time for yourself and sharpen your edge. It will make everything easier, and in time you will achieve greater success.
A degree here, a step there, a little extra effort each day—and eventually you look back and realize those “little things” have shaped your entire life.
Never underestimate the power of consistent, quiet contributions. Tiny shifts today can create a completely different tomorrow.
Throughout Scripture, giants are a recurring theme. They often represent the obstacles standing between God’s people and God’s promises—the blessing, the purpose, and the prize. Time and again, the promise was found on the other side of what God’s people were willing to face, confront, and overcome through faith, courage, and obedience.
Yet in my own life, the greatest giant has not been Goliath or the giants of the Nephilim. The greatest giant I face is the one staring back at me in the mirror.
My biggest battles are not with external enemies but with internal struggles—doubt, fear, insecurity, negative thinking, and limiting beliefs.
I want to talk about mindsets and self-perception, because I do not want the way you see yourself to keep you from stepping into what is next and what God has for your life.
Mindsets matter because mindsets shape futures.
You can have a mindset that says, “I can,” or a mindset that says, “I can’t.”
You can have a mindset that says, “We will,” or one that says, “We won’t.”
It all begins with what you believe and is revealed by how you frame your circumstances.
Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” In other words, our character, actions, and direction in life are shaped by our thoughts, beliefs, and self-perceptions.
Romans 12:2 says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
Your life can change by changing the way you think. And, before God changes our direction, He often changes our thinking.
What Is a Mindset?
A mindset is a set of beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that shape how a person thinks, interprets experiences, treats others, and responds to challenges.
A mindset is the mental posture you take toward life.
It is the internal lens through which you see yourself, others, and the world around you.
Your mindset influences:
* How you handle setbacks
* How you view success and failure
* How you approach learning and growth
* How you respond to opportunities
* How you relate to others
Simply put, a mindset is also your mental picture of yourself—it is your self-perception.
A mindset is a belief.
For example:
A negative mindset says:
* “That’s just the way I am.”
* “It’s always been that way.”
* “That’s not my thing.”
* “I could never do that.”
A positive mindset says:
* “I can improve.”
* “I can grow.”
* “I can learn.”
* “Things can change.”
* “With God’s help, I can become more.”
If you don’t change what you believe and how you think, things are not going to be different. Nothing changes, until something changes.
The decision to change how you think about yourself, your circumstances, and your future will ultimately determine the “story of your life.”
Remember: you enter every situation mind first.
Nothing changes until your mind changes.
There must be a mindset change before there can be a life change.
The Power of a Mindset
In Numbers 13, God instructed Moses to send twelve spies into the Promised Land. Their assignment was simple: explore the land God had already promised to give them.
After forty days, they returned with two very different reports.
Joshua and Caleb said:
“Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Ten other spies looked at the same land, saw the same opportunities, and witnessed the same evidence of God’s promise, yet they came back saying:
“We saw the giants… and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
Twelve spies.
One land.
One promise.
But two completely different mindsets.
Ten spies focused on the obstacles.
Two spies focused on God’s ability.
Most people today cannot name the ten spies who said, “We can’t.”
But nearly everyone remembers Joshua and Caleb, the two men who said, “We can.”
I wonder how many opportunities we miss because obstacles appear too large.
I wonder how many blessings we forfeit because fear speaks louder than faith.
I wonder how many doors remain unopened because we allow our self-perception to determine our possibilities.
Because of the mindset of the ten spies, an entire generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years instead of enjoying the Promised Land.
It took only forty days to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.
The real problem was not geography—it was mentality.
The wilderness wasn’t around them; it was within them.
The Grasshopper Mentality
One statement from the spies is particularly fascinating:
“We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
Think about that.
The spies did not have mirrors.
The giants never saw them.
They entered the land secretly and left unnoticed.
The giants never called them grasshoppers.
The spies called themselves grasshoppers.
Their greatest obstacle was not the giants they faced but the image they carried of themselves.
The battle was happening in their minds before it ever reached the battlefield.
What they believed about themselves determined what they believed was possible.
And the same is true for us.
What you choose to believe about yourself, your future, your challenges, and your God will largely determine what you experience in life.
Your mindset will shape your actions.
Your actions will shape your future.
And your future will become your story.
What Will Your Story Be?
What do you want to be remembered for?
Will your story be, “I can’t,” or “I can”?
Will it be, “We won’t,” or “We will”?
Will it be fear or faith?
Excuses or action?
Defeat or determination?
The choice you make today may determine the story you tell tomorrow.
The reason I chose this passage is because I want to see you blessed. I want to see you experience the opportunities, purpose, and potential God has placed before you.
I want you to believe that a different mindset is possible.
A mindset that says:
“I can.”
“I will.”
“With God’s help, I am able.”
Because when you change your thinking, you begin changing your future.
As Romans 12:2 reminds us:
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
