Monday, September 28, 2026
Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Ezekiel 13-18 | Titus 1
Jesus was never rushed, frantic, or burned out. How did our Savior face people and maintain his peace? His secret was what many Christians are afraid to use: boundaries.
Nedra Glover Tawaab, a licensed therapist and author, defines boundaries as “what you need to help you feel safe and comfortable in your relationships.”
Prentiss Hempill, an American writer, therapist, and somatic facilitator, defines boundaries another way. “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.”
There is a common misconception that boundaries are a way of controlling other people. But in reality, they are rules for us regarding what we will tolerate from others. They allow us to respect other people. They are about us and not others, and they empower us from people who intentionally or accidentally hurt us. People with healthy boundaries respect the boundaries of others. Boundaries are for all of us.
Jesus modeled perfect love, but he also modeled setting clear boundaries. His boundary setting examples show us that boundaries are not unloving; they are crucial for living a God-honoring life. Like Jesus, we have limited time, energy, and emotional resilience, so setting boundaries is necessary.
An example of how Jesus set a firm boundary against the disciples’ expectations was when he had healed all the people that came to him, but the following day he chose to move on. The following verses demonstrate a boundary.
Mark 1:36-38
Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.”
The following day, after a long night of healing, the disciples wanted Jesus to go back and continue healing people. He could have done this, but that did not align with his broader mission of bringing salvation and proclaiming the kingdom of God to all people.
Setting boundaries is not a sign of weakness; it is an act of stewardship that protects us so we can do what God has called us to do.
Questions:
Are you someone who can set clear boundaries and maintain them, or are you someone who sets boundaries but buckles if challenged?
Do you understand that boundaries are an act of stewardship?
Next Steps:
Continue reading the Daily submissions this week for a deep dive into Barb’s tools for setting boundaries.
- Pray First – Prayer is your willingness to ask God for help.
- Guard Your Heart – Guard your heart instead of weaponizing your words.
- Add More Support – Place people in your life that will support you.
- Stay Ready – By getting into God’s Word.
Prayer:
Dear God in Heaven, thank you for sending Jesus to us as an example of how we need to set boundaries. Give me the discernment to know when and how to set the appropriate boundaries so I can stay on the mission you have set for me. Give me peace to know that I am doing your will with my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.