Everywhere you look there are Christmas decorations and the sounds of the season on the radio stations.
I admit it. I love Christmas!
I love the decorating, getting the Christmas dishes out of the boxes to use, the gift giving, and the focus on Christ that the Christmas celebration brings.
Don’t get me wrong — I know the Christmas season brings stressors as well as joy, and challenges with all the goodwill.
But I’ll take the good with the not-so-good.
Have you ever noticed that our marriages are sometimes similar to the Christmas season — a lot of great mixed with the no-so-great?
We have joy in the midst of stress; good times along with challenges.
This is the stuff life is made of, and so the stuff which are marriages are made.
Just as we don’t want the blues to take away from the blessedness of our Christmas celebration, we need to be on guard that Satan doesn’t rob us of our joy in our marriages.
Our marriages are designed to bring the Father pleasure. Your and your spouse’s relationship was created to be a picture of Christ and the church. God’s design is not flawed so it is important as wives to draw from the truth of God’s Word for our marriages.
When stressors come into our marriages, look to the Lord for what He has to say — not your sister, mother or even a trusted friend. Go first to the Lord and His Word.
1 Corinthians 1:20-25 says,
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
It is God’s wisdom that we need to follow. Keeping our eyes upon the Lord and off of ourselves keeps us in the center of God’s will for our marriages. It is a sure foundation for the challenges that come up as we grow our relationships with our husbands.
It is important to not let the Evil One nor selfish desires keep you from staying on the path God has for you. Proverbs 4:27 reminds,
“Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
Just as commercialism threatens to overshadow the celebration of the advent of Jesus, do not let the enemy rob you of the blessings God has in store for your marriage relationship. It truly can be the “most wonderful time of the year” for your marriage if you invite the One who came to save to be your Guide and Lord over all in your marriage.
Following in faith with you and praying for each of our marriages,
Kim
