The Freedom of a Good Fence
Sometimes the thing that feels like a restriction is actually the thing that helps us run.

Paul Durbin •
May 20, 2026

2 Minute Read

Sometimes the thing that feels like a restriction is actually the thing that helps us run.

That sounds backwards, doesn’t it? Most of us hear the word “freedom” and think it means no limits, no boundaries, nobody telling us what to do. But real life teaches us something different. A child on a playground without a fence often stays close to the teacher. But put a fence around that same playground, and suddenly the child runs, explores, climbs, laughs, and plays.

That is a pretty good picture of God’s commands.

God is not trying to steal life from us. He is not trying to shrink our joy. He is giving us guardrails so we do not drive our lives into the ditch. David says, “I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.” That is not a trapped man talking. That is someone who has discovered that surrender to God leads to a deeper kind of freedom.

So maybe the question is not, “What can I get away with?” Maybe the better question is, “What guardrails would help me become the person I actually want to be in Jesus?”

That may mean a boundary with your phone, a habit, a relationship, your schedule, or what you let into your mind. Not because God is harsh, but because He is good.

If you want to keep thinking about this, check out the full sermon and study guide on walking the path of purity.

163 | How Do We Stay on the Path of Purity?

Paul Durbin teaches from Psalm 119 and asks the same question David asked thousands of years ago: how can a person stay on the path of purity? Purity is not just about avoiding obvious sin; it is a life of honesty, integrity, holiness, and character, where we have nothing to hide and our lives honor God and people. Paul walks through six practical ways to stay on that path: prioritize the Word of God, unreservedly seek God, restrict your freedom, internalize Scripture, turn and keep turning, and ultimately yield to the lordship of Jesus. The message reminds us that we cannot walk this path in our own strength, but Jesus cleanses us, forgives us, and gives us resurrection life so we can live differently.

Paul Durbin • Last Sunday
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May 20, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
The Freedom of a Good Fence
Sometimes the thing that feels like a restriction is actually the thing that helps us run. That sounds backwards, doesn’t it? Most of us hear the word “freedom” and think it means no limits, no boundaries, nobody telling us what to do. But real life teaches us something different. A child on a playground without a fence often stays close to the teacher. But put a fence around that same playground, and suddenly the child runs, explores, climbs, laughs, and plays. That is a pretty good picture of God’s commands. God is not trying to steal life from us. He is not trying to shrink our joy. He is giving us guardrails so we do not drive our lives into the ditch. David says, “I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.” That is not a trapped man talking. That is someone who has discovered that surrender to God leads to a deeper kind of freedom. So maybe the question is not, “What can I get away with?” Maybe the better question is, “What guardrails would help me become the person I actually want to be in Jesus?” That may mean a boundary with your phone, a habit, a relationship, your schedule, or what you let into your mind. Not because God is harsh, but because He is good. If you want to keep thinking about this, check out the full sermon and study guide on walking the path of purity.How Do We Stay on the Path of Purity?

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