“Mature love is extending hospitality — even toward the parts of your soul that are angry, fearful, anxious, or sad.”- Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller
“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.”- Luke 14:13-14 (ESV)
Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller conclude their Introduction to Boundaries for Your Soul as they make an ironic note. They note that the most natural way of addressing troubling emotions actually makes things worse. Thus, many well-meaning people attempt to suppress aspects of themselves they don’t like. Or, they go so far as to condemn those aspects.
Most noteworthy, the authors states, this book presents an alternate way. Hence, it uses different means to reach the same end. As Alison and Kimberly describe, Boundaries offers “a slower way to get where you want to go — faster.”
Through this approach, Alison and Kimberly add, you learn to understand and even befriend the hurting parts of your soul. Furthermore, you’ll get to know your overbearing aspects as well as facets of your personality hiding in the shadows. And these aspects exist for a reason. You need to create healthy boundaries with them. As a result, you can relate to them from a comfortable distance.
In conclusion, Alison and Kimberly observes that, ultimately, the Holy Spirit provides the best way to care for the overwhelming parts of your soul. Here’s what the authors know:
“When you think of your unwanted thoughts and feelings as belonging to parts of your soul, you begin to see how they relate to one another and to the core of your being where the Holy Spirit abides. And just as you can experience a more peaceful life as a result of healthy boundaries with others, you can also establish helpful boundaries with the parts of your soul.”
Today’s question: “To what parts of your soul do you need to extend hospitality? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Unhealthy ways of relating to painful emotions”
