Boundaries

God laid the word on my heart years ago.

Almost a decade had passed since I kicked a hole in a door, or threw a jar of spaghetti against the wall (yes I actually did this once) but I still couldn’t seem to overcome my anger in certain areas of my life.

The problem was that I lacked healthy boundaries. As a child I learned to stuff my feelings and never verbalize them because I unconsciously believed they didn’t matter. This opened the door for others to take advantage of me.

In the book Boundaries, Townsend and Cloud reference Galatians 6:2 which says we are to: “Carry each other’s burdens.” But they also reference verse 5 which says: “Each one should carry their own load.”

For so many years I was carrying my own burdens, which are meant to be shared with another. In addition, I was trying to help everyone else carry their loads, which are not meant to be shared.

As a result, I had a storage house of suppressed anger towards everyone I allowed to manipulate or take advantage of me.

Now I pray for the continual courage to speak up when it’s appropriate, say no when I need to, and let go of others peoples’ disappointments.

Jodie Stevens