Jesus answered,“I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6
The decision I made to follow Christ was the single most life changing decision I could have made.Once I decided to follow Him I immersed myself in Him. We literally ate, drank and slept Jesus. It was a time of learning and seeking for both my husband and I. The things I learned and resolved were so freeing!
As I grew in Christ I learned to forgive. I was able to let go of the unforgiveness I had for the abuse I suffered at the hands of my parents when I was a child. That forgiveness was for me as well. I had carried it around for so long and letting go of it gave me a freedom in my heart I didn’t even know existed!! God has said the truth shall set you free and I was free indeed. So in my journey with Christ I have learned to recognize that nudge from God when I need to let something go and forgive.
Having already confessed that I am somewhat of a control freak, letting go is sometimes hard for me. I need refining and reminding just like Lynn says. Our marriage is always being refined and I think it should be. As we yield our marriage to God, he loves and shapes us into the couple who can serve Him free of all the hurts and pain we bring on each other. Our life journey is together as well as separate. We experience life and problems from our own unique perspectives.
As I yield these experiences to God and choose to let Him lead, I react in a right and godly way. My husband sees that and hopefully wants to respond that way too. We, as their wives, are a constant example of Christ to them since we live together 24/7. I’m always asking God to show me how to respond, move on and forgive if I need to, in the situations in our life. Now I’m not always successful, I fail more times than I want, but I get right back up and try again knowing God always gives me another chance. The little things I let crowd in and fester can be let go of if I yield it to my Savior.
Twenty years ago, when I gave up looking for our new house because our supposed “dream house” fell through, I let anger take over. I left it to my husband to find us a house. He finally chose one that I hated! It had gold shag carpet, gold draperies, and brown and orange wall paper in the dining room! It was ugly! But my husband saw potential. So once again I had to choose not to be angry and let it go.
The choice to let go of the control of choosing a home for us and leave it to God and trust that my husband had made the right choice was not easy. I prayed and spent much time speaking out to God that I wanted Him to be in control. Giving it over daily was all I could do.
My husband has literally remodeled every room in the house and even built us a beautiful bedroom retreat with a balcony just for us! Our home is beautiful thanks to God and my husband. I can praise God that he chose it and my husband for all the hard work he has put into it. God took care of my needs and our marriage too. I have found that when I hang onto God and trust him to be in control I find freedom and, to quote our author, God can change little ole me and my marriage for His glory!
________________________
Let’s pray:
God we love you. Help us to let go of things that hold us back from making us all you want us and our marriage to be. Free us form those strongholds that we let take over. Free us to move in our marriages just the way you want us to. Thank you Lord. In Jesus name Amen
Your assignment:
Are there things in your life, like I had in mine that hold you back in your marriage? Unforgiveness, anger, control? Let’s name some of these things and purpose to give it to God and then let’s pray for one another over them. After all the body of Christ need each other and what better way than to pray for our sisters to be free??!!
______________________
If you are interested in joining our FREE Online Bible Study, please click on the “Sign-Up Here” button at the top of our webpage, and follow the instructions. We’ll be glad to get you signed up!
Blessings,
Donna
Like Be the first one who likes this post!
About Donna Day
Sometimes trusting someone else to make decisions for our own life can be so difficult. Especially another human. I have to admit that it hasn't always been easy to trust God in my past, either. Not because of God Himself, but because of my perception of who I thought God was. When others hurt you over and over again in your life, it's not always easy to let the trust flow to anyone else, including God. So over the years, I have had to learn who God is, and learn that I CAN trust Him because He has ONLY my BEST at heart. Once we "GET" that, really truly get that, it is so much easier to turn things over to God for him to work on! <3
You are so right Christi! We need to separate God, who is perfect and always wants our best, from people, who make mistakes and don't always have us first. It's awesome when we can do it!!
After reading this portion of the book, it was the first time I ever realized that I need to forgive my husband for the hurt I have inside due to our spiritual differences. I prayed to God to help me to forgive him. This was just a revelation to me because I guesss I've always just figured that things are just the way they are.
Also, Donna thank you for your prayer and mentioning strongholds. The Bible Study I was in last night talked about this same thing. It's amazing how the voice of God can speak through different avenues in our lives. I hear you God, loud and clear! 🙂
Sherrie you are on the right track! forgiveness is hard!!!!!! but it's for you as well as for him. It's freeing so yo can love without those strongholds! God bless!
I guess the biggest thing that holds me back is my "be still" moments….I know God's got it…but my little fingers always seems to want to be stirring in His bowl and help Him out when I just need to pray and let Him do all the saving….after all He is the one who is throwing the life preserver our way….and only He is the one that can save!!!!!
Yep! you got that right Beverly! but I know I like to stir too!!
I loved this post Donna. Much of what you said about your childhood and your "dream house" is also my story. I have learned much of the same things as you have along this journey. My husband has remodeled our house over the last 20 years and now I say this is my "dream house". God's plans are always better than our own. Good job, Donna
So glad I'm not alone Angie!!! God is good right!!??
i appreciate your being open, donna! this: "Giving it over daily was all I could do" is my focus. it has to be, don't you think? sometimes 'daily' translates to 'moment by moment' but progress! we are making progress!
to answer your question: what i hold back is my willingness to believe, at times, when r says, 'i'm going to change.' i SO want to believe him…but most of the time i am just not willing to go there. sure could use prayer for God to help me with that!!! i am so very thankful that God does not leave us alone to do any of this heart work…He is there every step, every moment, every mess-up, every harsh thought/word.
He loves us and our men so very much! <3
Well Coleen if I am not open, God can't use me so thanks for saying that. You are on the right track, giving it to God every moment! He does love our men and cares about your relationship with each other too! We're a work in progress and it won't end til we're with the perfect, but, thank you Lord, He is there with us all the way!!
I am checking my facebook. The last one did not go through
Okay, wouldn't you know during a test, it goes through. Sorry. Anyway, I had written that I am past unforgiveness, anger, and control – -I think – – – but what weighs heavy on my mind at times is how much time has elapsed; it would be nice to enjoy worshipping as one before one foot gets in the grave. But, I know God does make everything beautiful in His time, and He restores the years that the cankerworm has eaten up.
Good post, Donna.
Martha Our timing is not God's timing and sometimes that is frustrating. God is perfect and we are not so we must live, pray and believe that God will bring it about, but in the perfect time so it is real. Then it will be BEAUTIFUL!!!!