“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33) When Jesus said this, He was making it very clear that God should be our number one priority above everything else. At times, people find themselves battling various trials and tribulations in life, wondering where God is and how they even got there. But, they don’t realize that some of those challenges didn’t come as a test from God; rather, they were the result of a misaligned relationship with God. We are all guilty of doing things our own way, and then asking God to get on board afterwards—that’s not how God works fam. To live a life surrendered to Him means letting Him guide you. But in order for God to guide you, you have to hear Him clearly. So tell me, what is drowning out God’s voice in your life?
When boundaries are not set in your spiritual walk, it is arduous to hear from God and be sensitive to His voice. God doesn’t just speak in a burning bush, a blinding light, or through miracles; sometimes, He speaks in the stillness of your day. To have stillness, you have to remove distractions and set real boundaries in your life. If you are too busy to sit in silence and/or connect with God, how can you hear from Him? And how would you know if you’re truly aligned with His will? Let’s talk about how you can create more space in your life for God.
When Do You Give God Time?
I get it, I get it---we're all busy! There will never be a shortage of people, responsibilities and causes that will require your time and attention. However, even in the midst of all your busyness, you can still make time for God. You make time for the things in your life that you care about, and for that reason, God should be #1 on that list. If He isn't, then you haven't set the proper boundaries around the other demands of your life. A boundary with your time would mean making room in your schedule to connect with God.
And no, don’t spend the whole time telling God what you need—He already knows your needs. I mean really set aside time to just be in His presence and draw nearer to Him. The Lord blesses you with 24 hours in a day; so, use it wisely. You can pray, read your Word, or just sit in silence and give God the space to speak to you. The Lord says, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Don't let your relationship with God end each week after you leave church on Sunday.
Why Do You Act Like That?
Society has countless opinions on how you should live your life, and it typically encourages people to live it however they see fit without restrictions. This would appeal to anyone because it gives you the freedom to do whatever, wherever, whenever, with whomever. God is very clear about how we should carry ourselves, which aligns with the values and morals written in His Word. Do you treat people with kindness? Do you show love to all people? How do you live your life? Is it influenced by people or God?
If people have to question if you’re truly a believer, there’s a strong chance your lifestyle reflects that of someone living in the world. “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”(Matthew 22:37) When you do that, it impacts how you carry yourself, how you treat people and if you show love unconditionally. If you want to implement boundaries here, then ask God to, “Create in me a clean heart…” (Psalm 51:10) and to remove the things (or people) that are causing your values and morals to shift.
What Do You Feed Yourself?
Do you think about what music is in your playlists? Do you think about the shows that are on your watchlist? Do you think about the podcasts, social media pages and people you follow and listen to almost everyday? If you really think about what you consume on a daily basis, you would notice how much free reign the world has over your mind. Everything you consume has some level of impact on you. It may not always be apparent, but these are very influential sources that you feed yourself.
When you don't have boundaries around media, you can find yourself drifting further and further from God without even realizing it. The enemy uses media to influence society, which shifts the culture, and ultimately, creates narratives that are not aligned with God and His Word. If you aren't careful, you can become numb to society’s ways and normalize things that are not of God. Romans 12:2 reads, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…”
Where is God in Your Day?
As you put the proper boundaries in place, God will become more of a norm in your daily life. To protect your progress, it will be extremely beneficial for you to adopt daily habits to connect and build your relationship with God. From praying, to reading your scripture, to making quiet time to listen to Him, you will show God that He is the center of your life. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Your reverence and understanding of God will grow, and it will encourage you to draw even nearer to Him.
Now, to ensure you are consistent with this, you must make these habits non-negotiables. Then, if life gets busier, or you don't feel as motivated to do them one day, you won’t allow yourself to slack off. That also means removing hindrances that don't make it easy to be consistent. Whether you're staying up late binge watching a show, spending all your free time playing videogames, or being owsiiiide every single weekend, if you find yourself not sticking to your daily habits, it's time for you to learn moderation and make some changes.
Who Do You Keep Close?
One of the toughest areas to make adjustments is regarding the relationships you have built over time. You see, the quote about being the average of the five people you spend the most time with holds more truth than we realize. What type of people do you have relationships with at this time? Every single person you allow into your life has the power to influence you to some degree. That is why it is paramount to be very conscious of the people you are keeping in your life and how close a relationship you are looking to build with them.
And I'm not encouraging you to start judging people—none of us are perfect. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) But ask yourself this for each person—does this person bring me closer to or further away from God? If your answer is the prior, invest even more into them. If your answer is the latter, a boundary would mean loving them from a distance and limiting how involved y'all are in each other's lives. I get that it will be difficult but understand that this is a growth step for you.
As we have entered the holiday season, it’s a good time to take a step back and reflect on your spiritual walk. Making it this far into your life—and even into 2025—to be reading this post is a blessing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re fully aligned with God. I want you to experience God’s best but you can’t do that if you’ve chosen to settle with the life you currently lead where you do things your way. God’s plans are better than anything you can think of because He knows the end from the beginning. If you would be willing to trust Him and have faith, you would be in awe at what God can do in your life.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11) Yes, you will have some challenges with implementing these boundaries in your life. Yes, you may lose some friends along the way. Yes, you may miss out on some life events and experience FOMO. But none of it will compare to the relationship you will build with God and how He will work things out in your life. The closer I get to God, the more clearly I see His love for us all and the less desire I have for things of the world. God is a gentleman—He will never force His ways on you. But, He can show you a much better life; you just have to make room and let Him in.
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