A few weeks ago, our pastor talked about the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. He made this statement and even put it up on the screen, in a power point slide, for us to all read:
My pastor made this statement within the context of the very high percentage of people who are divorcing because they just aren’t “happy” anymore. Even within the church this is happening regularly. Truly, God did not give us marriage in the perfect Garden of Eden to throw away so casually.
I have been thinking a lot about his sermon since then. My happiness is often tied up in how my relationship with my husband is doing. But, I need to refocus and allow my joy and happiness to come from the Lord. I have a great relationship with my husband (I am blessed indeed), but we have our fights, our arguments, our disagreements. He lets me down, I let him down. Some days we drive each other crazy. The stressful times in our life can often feel anything but “happy”, but that’s not the point of marriage.
How I relate to my husband, deal with the stress, love when I don’t “feel” like loving, showing grace to Him — that’s how marriage is making me holy. Before my husband and I got married we attended a three month marriage group. We watched and discussed Gary Smalley marriage videos. I will never forget when Gary Smalley said, “Love is a choice.”
I choose my husband daily, I can only do these selfless things when I am focusing on Christ. Focusing on my own spiritual growth, my journey with Jesus, will only improve my relationship with my spouse (and kids) more. I just need to remember that the goal of marriage is not to make me happy but to continue making me holy. Praise the Lord, my marriage does make me quite happy. But the end goal of this life must be to live for Jesus.
Holy ==> dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred.
So this week, as my husband and I celebrate TWELVE YEARS of being happily married, I want to thank God for His many blessings and I want to thank my husband for being a loving, faithful, strong spiritual leader in my life!
Happy Anniversary Honey, I Love You!
Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
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