If you have decided to stand up for the things of God in your marriage, which we talked about in the first installment - you are on the right path. You have taken the first step towards total healing and redemption. It could be you are the only one doing so. You could be facing a spouse who gets worse by the day. Maybe it's gotten to the point that in standing up, you want to start walking....out the door and never come back.
The enemy, the world, our culture and even friends and family will tell you to that you shouldn't have to put up with "this." You will hear that you deserve to be happy and you can do much better. You will be encouraged to find your "real" soul mate, the one who really completes you. You will be told your marriage, no matter what the reality, is too broken to fix.
I'm here to tell you that there is nothing so broken God can't fix it.
That includes your marriage. I know that statement is not very popular. But if I believe God can create the universe and everything in it, I believe He can heal your marriage. In fact, it may be at the top of His to do list.
If you are struggling to stay in your marriage, I want you to consider this. The Lord is giving you the opportunity to learn to love your spouse the right way - without fear or condition. You can love your partner, no matter how he or she acts (even when he or she is being a big jerk.)
You have culpability here - you have to confess whatever your part is in letting your marriage get to this point. But you can't let guilt drive your decisions. You don't owe your spouse. He or She did not save you. Only Jesus can do that, so you must let His Holy Spirit free you of your dependency on this other person. This is where it gets really hard because surrender is your only option. You must surrender your spouse to the Lord. You must say,
God, I have to give him/her to You. I can't change him/her, I can't change the situation. I can only let You change my heart and mind. Here _____ is, Lord, all Yours. Do whatever You must and I know You will sustain me because You want me to find my wholeness in You alone. I trust in YOU, Lord. Not in my spouse or what he/she can do for me. Help me, Father. Please.
I know fear is hounding you right now. The marriage statistics are dismal. I think they are even worse in the Church than in the general population. Yet, in surrendering to God, you will be made like Hannah - the Lord will honor you. Your heart will be pure and your reverence for Him will grow more complete. In the words of Dag Hammarskjold, Nobel Peace Prize winner,
You are already a conqueror in Christ. The only thing you have to do is open your clenched fists and give Him the sacrifice of your heart. When you do that - you will be given the power to take the final step....
Keep Quiet.
The enemy, the world, our culture and even friends and family will tell you to that you shouldn't have to put up with "this." You will hear that you deserve to be happy and you can do much better. You will be encouraged to find your "real" soul mate, the one who really completes you. You will be told your marriage, no matter what the reality, is too broken to fix.
I'm here to tell you that there is nothing so broken God can't fix it.
That includes your marriage. I know that statement is not very popular. But if I believe God can create the universe and everything in it, I believe He can heal your marriage. In fact, it may be at the top of His to do list.
If you are struggling to stay in your marriage, I want you to consider this. The Lord is giving you the opportunity to learn to love your spouse the right way - without fear or condition. You can love your partner, no matter how he or she acts (even when he or she is being a big jerk.)
You have culpability here - you have to confess whatever your part is in letting your marriage get to this point. But you can't let guilt drive your decisions. You don't owe your spouse. He or She did not save you. Only Jesus can do that, so you must let His Holy Spirit free you of your dependency on this other person. This is where it gets really hard because surrender is your only option. You must surrender your spouse to the Lord. You must say,
God, I have to give him/her to You. I can't change him/her, I can't change the situation. I can only let You change my heart and mind. Here _____ is, Lord, all Yours. Do whatever You must and I know You will sustain me because You want me to find my wholeness in You alone. I trust in YOU, Lord. Not in my spouse or what he/she can do for me. Help me, Father. Please.
I know fear is hounding you right now. The marriage statistics are dismal. I think they are even worse in the Church than in the general population. Yet, in surrendering to God, you will be made like Hannah - the Lord will honor you. Your heart will be pure and your reverence for Him will grow more complete. In the words of Dag Hammarskjold, Nobel Peace Prize winner,
I don't know Who, or What, put the question. I don't know when it was put. I don't even remember answering. But at some moment I did answer Yes to Someone, or Something, and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful and that, therefore, my life, in self-surrender, had a goal.All God wants is a yes. He wants to bear you and your troubles up in His ocean of love. He doesn't want a maybe, or perhaps tomorrow. He wants you to open the door so He can come in to do His great healing, redemptive work TODAY. We serve a God who specializes in using the impossible to demonstrate His power and glory. I don't know what the outcome of your situation will be, but I know, when you surrender to the Lord, you won't come out a loser. You won't come out defeated.
You are already a conqueror in Christ. The only thing you have to do is open your clenched fists and give Him the sacrifice of your heart. When you do that - you will be given the power to take the final step....
Keep Quiet.
No comments:
Post a Comment