It’s happening. Way. Too. Much. Marriages are crumbling all around us. And Christian marriages seem no different. What in the world is happening?
We start out with such hope and big, beautiful dreams of what our life will be like with this person that has captured our hearts. We feel incredibly loved and SO cherished. We feel privileged that this other person CHOSE us as a partner to walk this journey of life. Growing old together. That’s the vision. Those are the promises that are made and I believe most couples fully intend to keep those vows. Then life. Just. Happens.
Suddenly we find ourselves in this vortex of the pressures of life. Children, bills, family crisis, distraction, unkind words, unmet expectations, dishonor, disrespect, betrayal. It seems too easy to lay our marriages down on the alter of something else. Anything else. Good things: homeschooling, our career, helping others, serving in the church, our children. Not so good things: having to be right (because it hurts too much to be wrong), regrets, bitterness, resentment, pain, crisis, exhaustion. pride.
Maybe your marriage isn’t this bad off. But is it as great as it could be? Is mediocrity really what we want? Don’t let anyone fool you, marriage takes work. We must be intentional. The real deal is that if the Enemy of our souls can destroy our marriage, he can destroy our children and the ripple effect is real. I don’t care what anyone says, divorce affects the children…deeply.
What’s it REALLY about? It’s a problem as old as this world: SIN. We live in a sinful world, with imperfect people and really no hope…without Jesus. He IS the deal breaker. He is the miracle maker. He is the one who loves perfectly, heals wholly, saves eternally. HE is what we so desperately need. HE is what our marriages need.
Marriage was established by God at the beginning of time… BEFORE work, BEFORE children. God wants marriage to exist and for it to be beautiful. He wants it to reflect the relationship between Jesus and His church. He doesn’t expect perfection, He wants hearts captured by His love, bearing witness of His grace. Grace that transforms and redeems in spite of the fact that we are messed up.
The only way to stop the madness is to start at home. OUR home. OUR marriages. The spouse God has given US. You may think it’s too late. What if it’s not? What if you are one of those broken marriages that God wants to redeem? What if this is part of your story? A bigger story that God plans to do something beautiful with? What if He wants to bring forth beauty from ashes? He is FOR you. He loves to redeem. Press in. Hear His heartbeat for your marriage.
(Note: I am in no way encouraging anyone to stay in a situation where there is abuse. Please get help from someone trustworthy. God does NOT expect you to remain in that type of situation, He will make a way.)
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