Liz and Greg are friends of mine. Liz illustrates the idea of setting boundaries on our own character as well as anyone I know. Her marriage to Greg is less than satisfying. He’s a good person, but he’s self-absorbed and uninterested in personal growth. He will listen to Liz talk about a seminar she has been to, or page through a book she wants him to read, but that’s about it. Greg’s disinterest in personal growth has been a loss for Liz over the years of their marriage. She had wanted to pair with someone who seeks after God and wants to continue to grow as she does. However, she has adapted
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This is an area where the metaphor of earthly marriage reflecting Christ and the Church falls short: there are areas where our spouse falls short and can't be who the other person needs them to be. Christ has no such needs. Does there come a point in time where a spouse's continual failure to meet those needs invalidates the marriage? If Liz has to find those things outside her marriage, should she really stay with Greg if he refuses to be what she truly needs?
