https://leannaellis.com/2012/07/down-beside-the-sea/ Award-winning Author Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:31:42 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://leannaellis.com/2012/07/down-beside-the-sea/#comment-528 Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:31:42 +0000 https://leannaellis.com/wordpress/2012/07/down-beside-the-sea/#comment-528 Hi, Cathy! Very well said. I so agree. It took me a long time to learn how to set boundaries. When I would, the enablers around me would accuse me of not forgiving. But that was not the case. Forgiveness is very important, vital. But I do believe in setting boundaries. I also believe harsh words must be replaced and a great way to do that is just what you said: meditate on the promises of God. Thanks for sharing your experiences today. Blessings!

]]> https://leannaellis.com/2012/07/down-beside-the-sea/#comment-527 Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:23:34 +0000 https://leannaellis.com/wordpress/2012/07/down-beside-the-sea/#comment-527 Great question, Leanna… and great blog of yours too by the way!! I am in the process of living this out – where I meditate on the goodness of God and let Him transform my perspective on things, especially when I’ve been hurt by someone’s words. The more I seek spiritual revelation from God that “we are all equal at the foot of the cross”, then the more I see that I’m just like the person who hurt me. Sweeping away painful words for me starts with seeing how I am not perfect either so I can embrace forgiveness, and then seeking God for the next steps…maybe I need to create a boundary so this person is not a part of my life anymore, even though I still forgive. Or maybe I need to seek healthy communication and reconciliation so we walk in love with each other, as Jesus defines love. I can most identify this with a friend I had for years who continued to say hurtful things to me, putting me down, comparing how great her kids were to how not-so-great mine were, etc. I was always so hurt by her words to me. I sought God’s direction and He led me to forgive her and then lovingly set a boundary where I limited how much I gave of myself to her: my time, sharing my heart matters. I don’t know what God does with that when we forgive and set boundaries, but I believe this sets up the other person to be in a better position to also receive His life and healing. So He really ends up sweeping away the painful words when He replaces them with His life-giving perspective and specific actions for us to follow that result in love; His defintion of love!

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