As Valentine’s Day arrived this year I received a very sweet card from my farmer. He is usually the funny card kind guy so the card he chose for me this year really touched me.
I am so thankful for him in my life. Moving beyond divorce and the disappointment, shame and hurt was not an overnight journey for me but it was so worth it. If you find yourself in a place that you never expected, divorced, take heart there is hope.
God can restore what was or provide you with something new. Seek Him, repent of your sin/your part in the end of the marriage, embrace grace, forgiveness and healing. You can find the life you always thought you would have.
This weekend my farmer and I attended a marriage conference together. It was such a great reminder to fix my eyes on all the things I have to be thankful for in my marriage. Looking for the good in my husband will help me to see more of it.
Mingling of Souls is an annual marriage conference by Matt & Lauren Chandler. During the conference, Matt reminded us that as Christians we are not yet what we will one day be. We are a work in progress.
Strange how we want our spouse to be a finished product but we see in ourselves we aren’t there yet. We often compare our very best moments or features with our spouse’s worst. Keeping our eyes focused on the truth of our journey can help us show more grace to our spouse and find more growth in ourselves.
Matt also said when he was young and questioning his relationship with Lauren, a mentor once told him you will fight with someone the rest of your life; do you want it to be Lauren or not? It is funny to think of our spouse being the person we will fight with our whole life but it is true.
We are both a work in progress so there will be conflict. Too often we see conflicts as something that reveals our spouse’s weakness.
[bctt tweet=”Instead we must see our struggles and conflict as a gift of Grace from God. Matt Chandler #TakeHeart” username=”raynaneises”]Instead we must see our struggles and conflict as a gift of Grace from God.
How can that be a gift? Each struggle or conflict reveals what is going on inside of us. God is revealing to us something about ourselves so we can grow.
When he is late, do I give him the benefit of the doubt or do I become impatient and selfish? When he leaves his clothes on the floor instead of putting them in the hamper, am I playing a martyr or being prideful?
Examining my heart will help me grow and progress in sanctification. Being angry and holding him to an unfair standard will just make us both miserable and break down our relationship.
The process of becoming more like our Lord is not an easy one but it is one which we are called to engage in. Our spouse is just one of the many things the Lord uses to help us grow.
In what way, will seeing your spouse as a gift of Grace from God change your relationship?
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