Something that can be extraordinarily valuable to both spiritual maturity and growth in healthy habits of all kinds is the development of what are called “bright line rules.” Some people tend to be put off by the idea of “rules,” while other people love having a clearly defined list of things to uphold. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall, it is important to recognize that healthy boundaries and guardrails are something that the Lord purposes for believers.

The intent of bright line rules is not legalism, but freedom. They involve clearly designated choices for disciplined behavior(s) which set us up for success with our decision making. They help us eliminate making poor decisions based on clouded judgement in the moment when emotions (or even the flesh) might lead us astray.

Because many of us cringe at the word discipline, it can help to reframe disciplines as more like guardrails. Ultimately, we want to have freedom to move about within God’s design for us, but in order to do so, we also need healthy guardrails that keep us from falling completely outside of our boundaries in the event we do stumble. I love to picture this process like kids in a playground… The children are fenced in for safety, but they don’t even notice because of all the fun toys and activities taking place within the safe area. This is a lot like setting up our own guardrails with the Lord’s help. We are free to run around and enjoy all the blessings that are available without fear that what we are doing isn’t beneficial or will do us harm. We don’t see it as restrictive or stifling because we are truly satisfied by what we know has been given to us from God for our enjoyment. If you see this process as building your own freedom playground, perhaps it will bring you to a new level of understanding and joy with regard to self-discipline. It is God’s heart for us to have freedom and abundant life that is made possible through obedience.

Bright line rules give us the ability to practice disciplined behaviors in situations where we are prone to tripping up. They are set up in advance of needing them. They are arrived at prayerfully and in conjunction with Holy Spirit guidance. It can also be helpful to seek the wisdom others can offer who have experienced navigating similar situations and struggles (Proverbs 11:14), but bear in mind that the specific details will need to be finalized with the Lord based on your individual tendencies. Don’t make the mistake of implementing what works for someone else, as it may not work for you. Bright line rules are just that—clear and straightforward, leaving no room for questions or ambiguity. They essentially give us an exact next step to take in a given context. You can think of them as if-then type protocols to follow.

In order to get started, make a list of behaviors you want to work on, or situations that you recognize need improvement when it comes to decision making. For example, eating past fullness, not having a consistent daily quiet time, spending more than your budget, skipping workouts, etc. Pray and ask the Lord for insight into why this happens, how it is less than His best for in your life, how you can make better decisions, and what specifically that looks like for you. Seek advice from others (specifically those who have struggled with and overcome the same thing) about how they learned to avoid the issue or navigate it successfully. Come up with your own plan for how you will proceed whenever it pops up. It may take a few runs through to get it right, or even to see that a different solution might be needed, so don’t give up if that’s the case! Use this method for troubleshooting if needed.

Bright line rules should:

• Be as specific as possible so there’s no wiggle room for your decision.
• Align with God’s Word and never lead us to act outside His commands.
• Be re-evaluated and adjusted if they stop being effective.
• Allow you to make sound decisions that you feel empowered by making.
• Always set you up for success with your outcomes.
• Create peace of mind and freedom surrounding things you struggle with.

How to get started:

• Make a list of the things you are struggling with and want to address with bright line rules.
• For each, list specific ways and/or situations where you are struggling to make the right decisions.
• Define and outline what a successful and God-honoring decision would be for each.
• Write out the if-then action(s) for each decision (this is your bright line rule).
• Implement the bright line rules.
• If they work, you’re good to go! If they fall short, re-evaluate and adjust. Ask for help if needed. Often, the objective perspective of a Godly friend will offer insight you may lack or miss, especially if it is a highly emotional struggle for you.

So as an example, if you struggle with comfort eating, here's what the bullet list above might look like:

• Struggle: comfort eating.
• Situation comfort eating occurs: I am prone to giving into the temptation to comfort eat when I am tired, stressed, and/or alone. I often find myself in this type of situation after a long, frustrating day at work. On the way home from work, I often stop at the store and get comfort foods. I eat them in my car before going home so no one sees.
• Definition of a successful, God-honoring decision in this situation: Managing my emotions in a successful, God-honoring way would look like choosing to do something besides eating to make myself feel better. I want to do something instead of comforting eating in these situations; something that allows me to feel better now and later.
• My bright line rules (my if-then action steps): IF I am stressed at the end of the day, THEN I will take a route home from work that doesn’t pass the grocery store. IF I am still struggling to overcome temptation to change routes, THEN I will call a friend on my drive home and discuss my situation and ask them to pray for me. IF I am still facing temptation to go to the pantry when I get home, THEN I will pop a piece of mint gum in my mouth and choose a relaxing activity from a list of activities I have made that allow me to feel better now and later.
• Outcome: This process works! So I keep implementing it. OR, this process fell apart when I got home and I wound up in the pantry comfort eating. So, I ask a friend to help me troubleshoot it. They suggest that I remove the item(s) I am most tempted to comfort eat from the house. I do this until I have gained strength when tempted to comfort eat and feel confident that I can be around them again.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, or reach out to me by emailing me at Kaci@DashingDish.com any time!