This is the first session in our Boundaries study and in the coming weeks we are going to learn a lot about boundaries, ourselves and how Biblical principles can help us have a healthier life.

This week we read through Chapter 1, “What Does a Boundary Look Like?”. The following discussion questions are based on the contents of Chapter 1, but if you can still get some benefits by using the information provided.

Sherrie’s life of drama

In the first part of the chapter we learn about a day in the life of a lady named Sherrie. The story unfolds when she gets up and it takes us through numerous events.  It’s sometimes easier to see in other people the very thing we would do well to change in ourselves.

If Sherrie came to you for advice, what would you say to her? How would you diagnose her problem? Which of your own words of advice would you do well to heed?

We can probably identify with Sherrie’s dilemma – her isolation, her helplessness, her confusion, her guilt, and about above all, her sense that her life is out of control. Trying harder isn’t working for her. Being nice out of fear isn’t working for her. Taking responsibility for others isn’t working for her. Sherrie still suffers severely from her inability to take ownership of her life.  She has great difficulty knowing what things are her responsibility and what things are not. In her desire to do the right thing or to avoid conflict, she ends up taking on problems that God never intended her to take on.

[re-read pages 26-28]

Look at your life through this lens. What problems of you taken on that God may never have intended you to take on?

What motivated you to take on those problems you just mentioned? Your desire to do the right thing, your efforts to avoid conflict, your fear of disappointing someone or not be liked, a sense of guilt, and inner “should” or something else?

For this coming week, go ahead and read chapter 2, we will have more discussion next week as we proceed.