The Antidote to AnxietySample

The Principle of Margin

God created humans with limits. Just like a football field, we have boundaries to function within.

In today's guiding verse, the Apostle Paul is saying, “I know my boundaries and sphere.” The apostle Paul understood he had limits and didn't go beyond his God-given assignments. Now here's the real kicker. How many of us live this way? Do we play by the rules God has set for us? Imagine a football player who decided boundaries didn't apply to him. It wouldn't be long until he was sitting on the sidelines.

We all have different personalities and capacities. We all have limits. We also all carry a load. Our load is the responsibilities, tasks, challenges, and duties we carry through life. So, we all have a load, and we all have a limit. The difference between our limit and load is called our margin.

If our load exceeds our limit, we're margin-less.

If our limit exceeds our load, we have margin.

Modern-day living can easily devour our margin.

Here's one practical principle to help you build margin: Learn to say “no” to many good things, so we can say “yes” to the best things. “No!” It's probably the first word you ever learned—yet some of us forget how to use it when we become adults. This might mean saying “no” to TV, video games, and even social media. It may mean saying “no” to people who drag you down. God has called us to be sober-minded, yet perhaps your old lifestyle is trying to lure you back. It may mean saying “no” to putting yourself in situations that distract you from saying “yes” to God's best for you.

Remember the apostle Paul's understanding this week: he had capacity, limitations, and boundaries. You do, too! It's not shameful to live within your God-given parameters—it's godly, wise, and powerful.

As you engage with God’s word:

● Where in my life has my load exceeded my limit?

● What is God saying to me?

● What do I need to do about it?

After you reflect on these questions, bring everything to God in prayer.