Boundaries, ours, theirs, and definition of space.  We have heard over the years about “our space”. In life we can visually see this all the time when individuals all adjust and adapt to personal space with others. We have experienced ourselves, all the time, everyday. Even this morning when we arrived. There were strangers, there were familiar faces and then there were friends. We each quickly evaluate and define zones.

Simple example is the hug alarm. You know the situation, when you know somebody, but you don’t have an intimate relationship with them, and they move right in close, maybe even hug you. It did not hurt, but it felt awkward and your next response is to take a step back. That is realigning personal space.

What has been your take on personal space? Do you struggle with it? Do you have good or bad experiences with space defining?

We get impacted all day long about the concept of our personal space border wars.  Most of the time we just consider it life, but it truly is a border war, it is directly related to boundaries and can be witnessed time and time again.  These boundaries are directly related to physical interactions, but what about spiritual relationships?  In a timely fashion, this weeks men’s devotional from Wire, hits the topic full-force and it is included below.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace — Hebrews 4:16

Have you gotten to where you stay at a “minimum safe distance” from God, for fear of what he might ask—what assignment he might put on your heart, what calling he might put on your life? Do you ever worry, if you allow yourself to get too close, he might leverage his position to press you to become . . . say . . . a monk in the mountains; or missionary to Africa; or evangelist at your work; or confessor to your friends; or something else, equally disrupting to your plans?

What has been your space definition with God in the past? Where is it now? If it has changed, what has changed?

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

For many of us men, fears like these characterize our relationships with God. You see, we know the plans we have for ourselves—plans for good things ahead—and we trust ourselves to know what’s “good.” So, we’re wary of potential disruptions, even from the God we love.

How is your boundary definition with God? Is there areas in your life you still trust yourself more than allowing God’s changes to happen?

Some people might not consider boundaries with God as definable, but there is another analogy that many can relate to: do we put God in a box? or compartment? Do we let him in during quite time, but when we go to work or hang out with “those people” we adjust His involvement.

Have you experienced or been challenged with boundaries with God?

King David wrote, though, it’s precisely when we close the distance to God that we actually discover what we’ve been looking for, all along:

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” – Psalm 37:4

Not the “boredom of your heart” or “annoyance of your heart” or “frustration of your heart”—the “desires of your heart”—what you’ve always wanted, but haven’t found. The key, brother, is trust.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. – Psalm 37:5-6

We must trust that the God of the universe might know better what is, in fact, “good” for us. And we must trust that he wills our good and knows how to bring it about.

Okay, so what can we do?

What’s been on your heart, or in your mind, to do that you’ve not yet done . . . reading Scripture regularly, joining some brothers in community, confessing something to a friend? God’s put that thing on your heart to bring you closer to him. Go ahead, move closer.

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