Whenever, and wherever the Lord gives me the privilege to share the Word of God, especially in the area of marriage; I always love to say this (whenever the Holy Spirit prompts me …in the crux of my message): “Look at the grey hair on my head! I can’t be fighting my wife again! I have grown up and she too in the wisdom of God and in age. We have had our fights (See my book on ANGER! Help Me! 2nd publication) and we can’t fight any more.”
In fact we sit down and crack jokes, make jest of ourselves of our kindergarten attitudes in our baby years of marriage, and talk about our failures and what we have learned from each other. In short many people, whether in their marriage; new or old cannot say like Apostle Paul And I wish you to know, brothers, that what has befallen me has turned out for the advancement of the Good News” Philippians 1:12. In deed ” …all things work together for good (not just to all automatically but) to those that LOVE (agape) God, to them who are called according to his purpose- Rom 8:28.
My wife said to me at the inception of our marriage; “you are older than me and more experienced, please I want you to be patient with me”. Today, she is a great teacher, with her styles of line by line precepts, drawn from her years of consistent bible study and seasoned prayer life; combined with her meticulous life and quiet disposition; and never had an issue with anyone both in church and where we live.
Every marriage will go through tough situations. Only people with good character, persons who have closely followed the Lord, standout for God’s use!
The fruit of patience Can never be fully BENEFITIAL to a child of God and those around him or her, if there are no troubles to pass through! Some challenges that tend to tear marriages apart (of cause from the devil and man), may come at the inception of some people’s marriage; or later in the years to come. Those who fail to handle their challenges at the early stage, might quit, or live to face them in succession in their mid marriage, or face some insurmountable ones when couples ought to start enjoying together! But because many years ago at the initial stage, they lack the skill to handle the bigger challenges which have long accumulated like an impossible mountain!
It’s very strange if a High court Judge says to Christian couples, same he says to unbelievers; “…due to irreconcilable differences, I hereby pronounce that the marriage between so and so be dissolved”. The problem of irreconcilable differences are mere heart hardedness (sklerokadia), one or the two partners have consciously erected against God’s Word (Mtt 19:8) and not that of incompatibility. The word of God has all the answers to resolve all the irreconciliables and creates compatibility.
The single trouble that finally divides one time sweet couple, is the culmination of the inability in solving smaller troubles written large (in the public). It’s just same SEED AND HARVEST or SOW AND REAP principle!
CONCLUSION
IT TAKES LOVE (AGAPĒ) TO GIVE BIRTH TO PATIENCE! BUT IT TAKES THE PAINS OF LOVE FOR A MAN (especially) TO ENABLE HIS WIFE TRANSFORM INTO HER DIVINE CALL AS A SUITABLE COMPLETER. (1 Cor. 13:4, 11; Eph. 5:25; Jms 1:3-4; Rom. 5:3-5).
My fellow couples in this voyage of marriage-ship; STOP BEING TOO RIGID! MANY MARRIAGES HAVE BROKEN BECAUSE OF NON-COMPLIANCE TO THE WORD OF GOD! Your spouse escapes the wicked and lustful eyes of strange men, comes back to where she can have love strength to be there for you and the children, and to overcome the challenges outside; and then you start giving her a hell of trouble -threatening her like an old head master, instead of being proud of her and giving her a lot of encouragement. This goes the other way round too for women who fail to praise and respect their husband who like Joseph have escaped adultery. I think many people have lost their partners long before separation or divorce occurred.
The day you stop fighting each other, that’s the day you allow the greatest ingredent of God’s nature- agapē start making you pliable (bendable) toward God and your spouse. THE GREATEST SECRET FOR A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE IS HELMED ON TOTAL SUBMISSION TO GOD ABOVE ONE’S PERSONAL INTEREST! A MATURED MAN OR WOMAN WOULD SACRIFICE HIS OR HER PERSONAL INTEREST, IN OTHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE MARRIAGE-SHIP WITH THEIR CABIN CREW -CHILDREN DO NOT SINK!
SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE FROM SINKING NOW!
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