WHERE IS YOUR YOUR LINE THROWN?
As I sit here in the beauty and majesty of the Colorado Colorado
They are incredible friends who not only share their home with us, but also continually point us to Jesus by the way they live their lives for Him and others. They have been married almost 50 years, and theirs is a relationship that is one to be patterned after. They have endured hardships like everyone does, but have looked to God for help in any and all trials that they have walked through. If I could choose a couple who I would say is the “poster couple” for how to have a successful marriage, it would be these two! As I ponder what is the most obvious reason that they have such a beautiful relationship, what speaks loudest to me is that they both find their strength, worth, and satisfaction in God. They have a blast together, and after 50 years, they are crazy about one another. They laugh, they play, and they love one another more than ever. Why? Because God is their source for all they need. God has blessed them with three kids whose marriages are strong and have given them a whole passel of grandkids! But with all of the many blessings they have been given, they find their joy and strength in God first and foremost. Their marriage is, and has been from the beginning, built on the solid foundation of God and His Word! We can all do well by following their example.
As I told you in the last blog, one of the biggest problems in our marriage was that I didn’t respect my husband, not until God revealed my attitude toward him and cleansed my heart from that destructive disrespect. Another of the greatest sources of my struggle in our relationship was that I looked to him to fulfill all my needs and wants. There are times when we all look to someone or some thing to make us happy and give us value. However, no one thing or person can ever give you what you want—acceptance, identity, security, purpose, joy, happiness, etc. We often turn to jobs, friends, spouses, children, money, social status, or ourselves (I DON’T NEED ANYBODY) to find our self-worth. Ultimately, what we find is disappointment and emptiness.
There is only ONE who can fill all the needy holes of your being---God! We all have God-sized holes that only He can fill. If you continue to turn to anything or anyone but Him, you will set yourself up for disappointment and your spouse for failure. Let your husband off the hook! He can’t be your identity and worth. He just can’t! He is only human. Instead, throw that line out to Jesus! He will never disappoint you or let you down. He will fill all the holes in your heart and give you purpose, value and worth.
You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with growing kids!
Kids learn and live by example and right now you and their daddy are the ones they learn from. Jeremiah 17:5-6 tells us, “Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inherit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” What a clear picture of the consequences of putting your trust and value in anything but God, and the blessings of looking to Him for everything! Isn’t this what you want for yourself? For your kids? I can assure you, you will do well by them to set the example, teaching them to be fulfilled and successful throughout life by looking to God for their worth and fulfillment. The world has such a negative influence on us, especially our children. They are taught that to be popular and worthy of the attention of the “in crowd” they must have facebook, cell phones with all the newest apps, unlimited texting; they must be skinny, cute, handsome, muscular, rich, and wear the “right” clothes. You get the picture, and probably know better than I do what kids today struggle with in being accepted and belonging. The only thing that can combat these lies from the pit of hell are loving parents and knowing that their worth and value lies only in God.
So, moms, if you are one who struggles with trying to make your husband meet all your needs, I challenge you to start today to take that hook out of his mouth and turn to God and His word for all your needs. As you do that, you will be able to love and respect him the way God intends for you to. This will also release him to love you the way he is supposed to and to be the husband God calls him to be. Psalm 107:9 tells us, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Philippians 4:19 promises “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Trust Him, girls. He wants to be your all in all and He will never ever let you down. I ask you again, "Where is your line thrown?"
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