From Battle to Bliss of Marriage

Today’s post is from my dear blogging friend Natalie, at Milk and Honey Faith. I hope you receive encouragement from her writings today just as much as I have. Her experiences and passion for God’s ministry of reconciliation is remarkable and inspiring. I love her ministry to speak to Christian Marriages.

 

My Husband and I have been together for 21 years and throughout those years we have learned to navigate through each other’s bad moods and be sympathetic to one another’s feelings.  However, this was not always the case.

 

A Glimpse into the Past…

 

Let’s rewind to a time when we were first starting out, when my Husband (then boyfriend…gasp!) worked two jobs while I stayed home with our baby.  It was a tumultuous time riddled with fear, fatigue, and frustration.  We were both sleep deprived and far too selfish as young adults to work past our emotions in constructive ways.  All we knew was we were tired and stressed.  Most of our immediate family lived hundreds of miles away so we were on our own with a newborn.  We were attempting to wing it while living in sin.

 

On more than one occasion I can remember my emotions getting the best of me with a crying baby, feelings of desperate loneliness, and a partner who was too tired to show me the attention I craved.  I would lash out and yell about the injustice of it all.  He would return the favor, because let’s be honest…he was just trying to keep us afloat.

 

Our partnership was fatally flawed.  Our union was not dependent on the promises of God but reliant on our own strength (which was weakening by the day).  How had we gotten here?

Jesus Fixes What is Broken

 

It didn’t take long to see we were failing miserably and we both knew that nothing would turn around until we got right with God.

 

We got married, rededicated our lives to Christ, and found a good Church.  Our relationship was on the mend and it was only then that our doomed union began to flourish.  It was in Church that we learned how imperative it was for us to dig into the word of God and learn the awful truth about ourselves.  The truth was that we were damaged goods in need of repair.  The Spirit was now living inside of us but it would take time for us to unlearn our bad habits.  Instead of pointing the finger at each other, we learned to examine ourselves.  It’s hard when you realize you are part of the problem and that you are more broken than you’d like to admit.

However, God is faithful and He began restoring what had been damaged.

Related posts:

When your Marriage is under Spiritual Attack

Praying for through Spiritual Warfare in your marriage

A wife’s guide to praying for your husband’s workplace

From Battle to Bliss

 

I’d be lying if I said everything was hunky-dory 100% of the time.  I’d like to say that ever since our marriage and commitment to Christ that it has been smooth sailing.  That’s just not the case.  Marriage is a continuous process of self-denial and serving your spouse.

 

Once in awhile we hit bumps in the road.  When you are together for that long it is unavoidable, especially with the enemy lurking about.  Now because of our lives being rooted in Christ there is a responsibility to resolve our conflict agreeably.  The difference between then and now in our relationship is night and day.  As a married couple we are each other’s best friends.  In order to trust in that friendship we have to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.  What that means is we are called to encourage each other and discuss our disagreements like adults.

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 #Christianmarriage Share on X

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are

already doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

Our duty as a married couple is not to just gloss over those words.  Those words need to infiltrate our hearts and sink deep.  My Husband needs me to build him up spiritually, not tear him apart with selfish words and vice versa.  In order for this to be accomplished there needs to be a transformation of the heart and mind that is only possible with the Holy Spirit.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by

the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and

acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2

The Victory is His

 

There has to be a willingness to die to yourself and be willing to learn how God says marriage should be.  The blissful part about all this is the continual growth that is taking place in us.  That growth results in the blessing of a mutually respectful relationship.  Only with Jesus is it possible to put your needs aside so you can better serve the other person.  We can win the battle for our marriages but the victory will always be in Him.

 

For more encouraging posts like this from Natalie, Click Here.

 Natalie’s’ Blog is at Milk and Honey Faith . She is passionate about serving the Lord. Natalie enjoys reading the Word and writing what He leads for her to write for His purpose and glory! She is happily married and a mother to two teenagers. She loves to drink coffee and to spend time with the Lord daily. Natalie’s writing at Milk and Honey Faith is encouraging and full of God’s beauty. You can check out her blog Here.

You can also follow Natalie on: Instagram