Episode Transcript
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Paula Behrens (00:01):
Is your quiet
time with God frequently
interrupted?
Do you desire to connect deeply, only to find distractions
pulling you away?
I understand.
Mental noise, emotional burdensand external demands can all
compete fiercely for ourattention.
In today's show we're going toexplore how setting healthy
boundaries can safeguard oursacred time with the Lord so we
(00:22):
are better able to hear Hisvoice and nurture our spiritual
growth even on our busiest days.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
(00:46):
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
(01:07):
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
(01:30):
Are you curious about whatactually happens in the Aroma of
Christ Coaching Hour?
Let me walk you through it.
First, we'll talk about yourcurrent routine, what's working,
what's not, and where you feelstuck or dry.
Then we'll walk through yourspiritual goals, whether that's
deeper intimacy with God, morepeace or simply knowing how to
stay consistent.
Together, we'll build arealistic devotional routine
(01:57):
that works for your real life,and I'll introduce you to ways
essential oils can help you feelmore grounded and connected
during your time with the Lord.
You'll leave with a customdevotional plan, simple next
steps and a fresh wind in yourspirit.
Everything we do is led by thespirit and grounded in grace,
not guilt.
So head on over now topaulabehrens.
com/c oaching and book yoursession.
(02:17):
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/c oaching (no spaces).
It's time to bring beauty andbalance back into your quiet
time.
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.
(02:41):
Welcome to Living on Purpose inChrist, the podcast that helps
Christian women connect with Godconsistently through simple
devotional routines.
I'm your host, Paula, a retiredpastor, grandma and Christian
coach, here to walk with youthrough the challenges of faith,
boundaries and wellness God'sway.
Today's episode is titled"Healthy Boundaries for Quiet
Time (03:01):
Reclaiming Spiritual Focus
in in a noisy world.
It's going to be practical,real and deeply spiritual,
because I know so many of youare struggling to maintain that
peaceful, life-giving connectionwith God in the middle of noise
, distraction and emotionaloverload.
Let's begin with this.
Quiet time with God isn'talways easy.
(03:22):
You may wake up with goodintentions to spend time in
prayer or scripture, but thenyour phone pings, your to-do
list floods your brain orsomeone in your family needs
something.
Even when you're physicallyalone, your mind might be
overloaded with worries.
Your soul longs for peace, butyour reality feels anything but
peaceful.
(03:42):
Many of you have said, I feeldisconnected some days.
My mind is all over the place.
I'm so focused on others' needsthat I miss what God wants to
say to me.
These aren't your normaleveryday distractions.
They're signs that yourspiritual boundaries need
attention.
Without boundaries, your quiettime becomes just another box to
(04:04):
check or worse, it disappearscompletely.
But here's the good news youcan reclaim that sacred space.
You can protect it, you canrebuild it.
Let's talk spiritual boundariesand why they matter.
Boundaries are not walls meantto keep people out.
They are lines of protection tokeep what is holy, holy.
(04:26):
Boundaries, when it comes tospirituality, help you define
where your responsibility endsand someone else's begins.
They help you say yes to thethings that matter most, like
time with God, and no to thedistractions that water down
your purpose.
(04:47):
Even Jesus practiced spiritualboundaries.
In Luke, chapter 5, verse 16,we hear that Jesus often
withdrew to lonely places andprayed.
Jesus was fully God and fullyman, yet he intentionally
removed himself from the crowdto connect with his Father.
He shows us that retreating toa quiet place is not weakness,
(05:10):
it's wisdom.
Spiritual boundaries matterbecause, first of all, they
protect your heart fromemotional overload.
Second, they give your mindspace to focus on the truth.
Third, spiritual boundariescreate a margin for God to speak
to your heart.
And finally, they restore yoursense of peace and identity.
And who doesn't need that?
(05:32):
Boundaries aren't selfish, theyare sacred, and if you are like
me and want to lead aspirit-led life, biblically
based boundaries are going to beessential.
So let's talk about three typesof boundaries that are
absolutely critical if you wantto transform your quiet time and
reclaim your spiritual focus.
(05:52):
One emotional boundaries.
These are the boundaries thatwill help you manage your
internal world.
Emotional boundaries teach youhow to not carry what isn't
yours to carry.
Maybe you found yourselfpraying for others but feeling
so burdened by their needs thatyou can't even hear God's voice
for yourself.
(06:12):
That's emotional overload.
Scripture reminds us inGalatians, chapter 6, verse 5,
that each one should carry theirown load.
We are called to becompassionate, yes, but not
codependent.
Emotional boundaries look likesaying no when your plate is
(06:32):
full, giving yourself permissionto rest, releasing the pressure
to fix everyone's problems thatare not yours to fix.
When you feel yourself becomingoverwhelmed with the weight of
everyone else's burdens, praythis prayer, say to God: God, I
give you the things I cannotcontrol.
(06:54):
Help me carry only what you'veasked me to carry.
Next, there are time boundaries.
Funny thing is we all get thesame 24 hours each day, but how
we spend those hours may lookentirely different from one
person to the next, depending onwhat we decide to prioritize.
Time boundaries are soimportant because that's the way
(07:18):
we protect our sacred time withGod.
Healthy time boundaries looklike this: Scheduling your quiet
time like any other importantappointment, setting alarms or
reminders to pause and praythroughout the day, and limiting
less important activities thattry to crowd out your spiritual
practices.
In Ephesians, chapter 5, verses15 through 16, we are urged to
(07:42):
be careful how we live, not asunwise, but as wise, making the
most of every opportunity.
If you find yourself strugglingwith not having enough time in
the day for devotions, theanswer isn't more hours, but
rather a more intentionalapproach to how you spend your
time.
(08:02):
Maybe this is you.
You're struggling with mentalboundaries, where your mind
feels like a battlefield.
When you sit down to readscripture, your thoughts spiral
into stress or distraction.
Well, you're not the only onethat's happened to.
We've all been there at onetime or another.
But there is hope.
It's called mental boundaries.
(08:24):
These are the kind ofboundaries that help you filter
out thoughts that pull you awayfrom God's truth, and it's
biblical.
Second Corinthians, chapter 10.
5, teaches us to take everythought captive to obey Christ.
Mental boundaries include thingslike writing down those
intrusive thoughts to get themout of your head, or meditating
(08:47):
on scripture to renew your mind.
You can also use calmingessential oils to help center
your focus.
A blend called Clarity is agreat oil for this.
A breath prayer is also abeautiful way to refocus.
Try this if you are strugglingwith distractions when you sit
down to read scripture.
First, inhale and say in yourmind: God, you are near.
Then exhale and say (09:12):
I rest in
your presence.
So inhale, God you are near,exhale, I rest in your presence.
Inhale, God you are near,exhale, I rest in your presence.
(09:33):
Let's talk about WWJD.
What would Jesus do?
Well, Jesus didn't just modelboundaries, he lived by them.
He had a rhythm, he had asacred pace.
He knew when to teach and whento rest.
He knew when to engage and whento retreat.
He knew when to serve the crowdand when to be alone with the
(09:54):
Father.
In Mark, chapter 1, verse 35, wehear that Jesus rises early,
leaves the house and finds asolitary place to pray, even
when people were looking for him.
That wasn't neglect, it wasalignment.
Jesus teaches us that spiritualgrowth comes not just from
(10:15):
doing more, but from doing theright things at the right time
as we listen for and allow theHoly Spirit to lead us.
You are not failing when youwithdraw to be with God, you are
being faithful.
It's important to remember thatboundaries are not just about
what we say no to.
They're also about what we sayyes to, intentionally and
(10:39):
wholeheartedly.
By setting these boundaries, wemake room for God's invitations
into deeper intimacy andunderstanding.
It's about creating space fordivine whispers in the midst of
life's clamor.
When we prioritize ourspiritual boundaries, we teach
our hearts to recognize God'svoice more clearly and
(11:01):
consistently, helping us alignour actions with his will.
This sacred alignment is whattransforms our quiet time from
routine to richly fulfilling.
Moreover, setting boundariesserves as a testament to those
around us.
It reveals a life lived withpurpose and intentionality.
(11:22):
When others see us guarding ourtime, emotional space and
mental clarity, it can inspirethem to consider their own
boundaries or the lack thereof.
It's an invitation for adialogue about prioritizing
spiritual health in a busy world.
Just as Jesus' example speaksto us today, our commitment to
(11:45):
boundaries can speak life andencouragement to those we
encounter, to those who arewatching us, to those who are
around us.
It becomes an opportunity toshare how prioritizing spiritual
health opens pathways to peace,strength and joy that
transcends the chaos.
Let's recap today's keytakeaways.
(12:05):
First, quiet time is oftendisrupted by emotional, mental
and time-based distractions.
Second, setting healthyboundaries is a biblical and
effective way to reclaim yourspiritual focus.
Third, Jesus modeledintentional retreat, and we
should too.
Fourth, a clear plan anddevotional routine can help you
(12:26):
stay connected to God in thechaos.
Five, you don't have to waitfor quiet to come.
You can create it by protectingyour time with God.
Friend, your soul needs this.
God is not waiting for perfectcircumstances.
He's waiting for your yes.
If you're ready to go deeperand want help creating your own
(12:50):
devotional rhythm and boundaryplan, I invite you to book an
Aroma of Christ coaching hourwith me.
This one-on-one session isdesigned to help you set
spiritual boundaries, create apersonalized quiet time routine
and support your emotional andspiritual wellness with
biblically grounded practices.
You can book your call today atpaulabehrens.
(13:11):
com/ coaching.
Let us pray.
Lord, we long to be with you,but the world is so loud and our
minds are so full.
Help us protect our time withyou.
Teach us to say no todistractions so we can say yes
(13:32):
to your voice.
Build within each and every oneof us a rhythm of grace and
peace.
This is what we long for, God.
Please help us with this.
In Jesus' name, we ask thesethings.
Amen.
Remember this you were createdfor connection.
(13:53):
You were made for peace, andyour quiet time with God is not
just a habit.
It is your lifeline.
Do all you can to protect it.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
(14:18):
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you've enjoyed this episode, we would truly appreciate it
if you would take just a fewmoments to follow the show and
leave a review.
Also, prayerfully considerinvesting just one hour to
deepen your faith and nurtureyour spiritual growth.
In your Aroma of ChristCoaching Hour, you will discover
how to craft a personalizeddevotional routine that will fit
(14:40):
perfectly into your busyschedule, incorporate essential
oils into your spiritualpractices, create an easy to
follow tracking plan forconsistency and learn tried and
true strategies to experienceyour quiet time with God not
just as a routine but as ajoyful journey.
Schedule your call now atpaulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
(15:02):
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/c oaching ( no spaces).
Be sure to check the show notesfor all the links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intohim and walking in his wisdom.
(15:24):
See you next time.