Last night John and I went to a marriage conference called "Gospel Romance." The couple that spoke is from Tennessee and they really proclaimed to have a powerful marriage and gave God all of the glory.
There were several things to take away from the conference but the idea that has resignated in my heart was a side comment they had made during the Q and A time. One couple had asked how they keep romance in their marriage during the years of having small children. What they said was simple but so profound: "We made a choice when we had children to enjoy it."
John and I do not have children yet but even now this applies. I feel like the devil has used a lot of circumstances in our lives to pull at our marriage. Our marriage alone is strong and the outside circumstances have contributed to our "success" so far. The devil has tried to destroy us with many family issues, finance issues, career issues and distance issues. God though, always wins when we let him, and he is winning in our marriage. The more the devil has tried to pull us apart, we feel even closer together.
(John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.)
Because we have been working through outside circumstance issues, I sometimes feel our marriage is very serious. We are incredibly focused on being a great team, and with that we often forget the enjoyment part. After hearing the couples response, in my heart, I felt the holy spirit telling me to release a sigh and just enjoy John and our marriage. I know I enjoy him, there is no person on this planet I would rather live my life with, he is a gift from God to me and It's my gift--how blessed am I?
Most of the outside circumstances that the devil uses to destroy our marriage often consume a lot of energy and conversation and we really want to re-focus our hearts on giving those to our Lord and savior and in the meantime, enjoy eachother. The energy we spend worrying and planning, and figuring out what to do next can be exhausting and we both love eachother too much to dwell on issues that tear us down. In God's time those issues will be brought forth for healing.
Several couples at the conference are experiencing greater issues than ours and it was so real hearing them beg for help and wisdom to repair the damage done in their marriage. We never want to be in that place and with God's guidence, I don't think we will be. God loves marriages, our spouses are to be our number one concern on earth and all the rest....is details.
I'm off to enjoy a great night with my husband...day dreaming about our next house, cooking together, and leaving on the back burner that things trying to bring us down.
(James 1:17 Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation.)
What can you set on the back burner to enjoy the Gift (spouse, friend, sibling, etc) God has given YOU?
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