Several years ago, while scrolling on Pinterest, I came across a quote that really resonated with me. The quote was from the well-known book entitled: Boundaries. This book was written by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. I don’t remember what the specific quote was that led me to the book, but eventually, I purchased the book, and it has since become a treasured piece in my library of reference books.
Recently a situation occurred where, if I had not gained the knowledge presented in this book, I probably would have responded much differently. And as the saying goes, while we can’t always control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. I want to share with you the passage from the book that helped me to have a response that was both mature and appropriate. This passage is found on page 31 of the book and it states:
Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where I end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership.
The truth is, the situation that occurred was not mine. It belonged to someone else. Therefore, there was no need [for me] to expend energy on something that does not belong to me. This thought process does not mean that I do not care. It simply means that I make the conscious decision to stay within the boundaries that belong to me, and to respect the boundaries of others. I have lost count of the number of times that I’ve said this, but it still holds true: Life is hard, and if we are to build lives that we are proud of, we must be focused, intentional, and willing to put in the effort that is required to accomplish our goals. This effort always requires two of our most precious and finite resources: 1) time and 2) energy. In fact, everything that we do in this life, requires them. The reality is that there are only so many hours in the day, and our bodies have only so much energy to expend. Therefore, we cannot spend these most precious resources on things that are not ours to manage.
Maintaining what’s inside of my boundaries, allows me to create a life that is beautiful, one in which I use the gifts and talents that God has given to me. Additionally, an awareness of my boundaries creates the opportunity for me to be a good steward of the resources that God has made available to me.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25: 23
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