The Blessed Struggle

It's so hard to be fighting with a spouse when you are this far away from them.

It's so hard to be fighting with a spouse--period

It's SO hard.

We talked today about how we were fighting a lot and how we normally don't fight.

We spoke of how easy it would be, if we weren't married, just to break up.

We get lost in the hardness of life and we forget how wonderful it is when it is good (and it is SO good when it is good and it's good most of the time).

I see people getting divorces everywhere. They leave each other, they wipe their hands clean and they are done--or so they think.

They think that by leaving that one person, that they won't have struggles like that with the other person that they meet.

Do they think that they won't have hardships and struggles?

They will--guaranteed.

And then will they give up on that marriage?

It's a vicious cycle, people--don't give up on your spouse.

Don't give up on the sanctity of marriage.

It's God's plan--don't give up on it.

"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him--And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2: 18, 23, 24

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:21, 22

" Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it..." Ephesians 5: 25

"Why has the Lord abandoned us?" I'll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made to each other on your wedding day when you were young. But you have been disloyal to her though she remained your faithful companion, the wife of your marriage vows. Didn't the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard yourself; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. "For I hate divorce!" says the Lord, the God of Israel. "It is as cruel as putting on a victim's bloodstained coat," says the Lord Almighty. "So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your wife."

I think it's pretty clear what God is trying to tell us--every one of us.

~B