Love Worth Fighting For...

Lately, I have found myself fighting  in "intense fellowship" WITH my husband.  It's typically over the usual "marriage" issues of kids, money and (let's just be honest) *s*e*x*... and it has been when we are both EXHAUSTED. Well, we had an EYE OPENING moment this past weekend. It was the Love Worth Fighting For Marriage Event this past weekend that REALLY spoke to us BOTH. Let me say, if you EVER get the opportunity to attend one of these events, GO! It will REVOLUTIONIZE your marriage.

In my heart of hearts, the deepest inner part of me, my desire is to be a submissive wife, a Proverbs 31 Woman, if you will. I've studied these things, prayed on these things, and continue to work on becoming the best "ME" I can be. Fact is, I'm human. And sometimes often, my flesh wins. 

You know, certain times of the month are harder to control emotions; when you're tired, it's hard to want the "same thing" as he does; when you're a single income family that has taken been forced into a lower paycheck, and the money doesn't stretch quite near as far as it use to; when your kids are just at their worst and you both have different opinions on how to handle them....I could go on and on and on... If we were to all be honest, we've had those times. I just haven't learned to "temper my tongue" or as my sweet girlfriend tells me, "just be quiet." I try, I really do. I just don't always achieve.

There are ALWAYS going to be circumstances to challenge your marriage. This weekend opened my eyes to so much, but what I loved was hearing that most often, what we are fighting about isn't even the issue. Most often, it goes back to SELFISHNESS! And, in being honest, I will say, thinking back to a day before the conference, that is SO true. "I" wanted. What I wanted, I can't remember now, but I know I wanted to be heard, and validated, and most likely to be acknowledged as being right.

Marriage is give and take. But someone has to be the "bigger"person and in what I've learned lately always known, but preferred to forget, it might be ME! I am commanded to be submissive (subject) to my husband, AS UNTO THE LORD, for as Christ is the head of the Church, is the husband the head of the household. This might probably means I don't need to criticize, or nag  constantly, like the wife who was compared with a dripping faucet in Proverbs. I can't change ANYONE ELSE, but I can, with my Father's help, change me. 

In the end, it seems, if we get back to the real reason we came together, it is because we loved one another enough to pledge to one another, before God; and enter into a covenant relationship with Him as the center. So why in the world is there so many opportunities for strife? Satan. He hates peace, he hates successful marriages, and most of all, he LOATHES love.

Well, I'm taking back my marriage. Satan cannot have ANY part of it. I have spent the last 2 days prayerful over my marriage and talking to my husband about what WE want to fight FOR! We are worth fighting for. Our children are worth fighting for. The rest? Not quite so important anymore! 

I challenge you to take a look at your relationship. Are you on the same page? Are you praying together? for one another? Are you discussing things, or letting them fester until they become "the BIG one"? Dig into His Word. There is so much instruction for wives and husbands in the Word.