The Blessing of Boundaries
On Thursday, Tess had surgery to be spayed. It was a necessary procedure, and thankfully, everything went well. When we picked her up after the surgery, the vet gave us the post-op instructions, including a strict command that she was not allowed to run, jump, or display excited behavior in any way for the next ten to fourteen days. Yikes!
It’s only been a couple of days, and we’re struggling to get our precious pooch to understand why she’s suddenly not allowed to jump on the bed or the couch and why she can’t run around the yard. The only way we can keep her subdued is to stay still ourselves. I spent all Friday working from the bed, encouraging her to snuggle with me and be still. For the most part, it worked, but there were still a couple of instances where she jumped up or down before I realized what was happening. It’s not her fault. She doesn’t understand what’s happening. As for me, I fear I’m going to pull my hair out in the next couple of weeks.
Boundaries are complicated, aren’t they? Especially when we don’t understand them. Often God will place limits in our lives to protect us from harm, but because we don’t see the big picture, we feel He’s being cruel and unfaithful. We don’t understand why He won’t let us have the thing we asked for and don’t realize it’s for our own good. Like Tess, we feel frustrated by the lack of freedom.
If only we trusted our Master enough to know that all things work together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). If only we understood Him enough to believe that He won’t withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11). If only we took Him at His Word, we’d live much happier and healthier lives. We would know that even when we don’t understand, God is good and is doing good for us.
The only way to reach that state of trust is to spend time with God regularly. Watch Him work in our lives. Record His goodness and answers to prayer, so we always remember His faithfulness. And never stop communicating with Him. When we’re having trouble understanding, we can talk to the Lord about it. He may not necessarily explain Himself and His actions, but simply pouring our hearts out to Him reminds us how much He cares for us.
We all need boundaries, and whether we like to admit it or not, boundaries are good for us. They keep us safe and protect us from the dangers of this world. If God denies you something, please don’t get angry with Him. He loves you and always wants what’s best for you. Trust that He is working all things for your good and His glory.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. - Psalm 145:17-19