Scripture, Not Spinach

Remember the cartoon of Popeye the Sailor Man?  Whenever he needed energy, he would eat spinach and, "Voila," he had all the energy he needed. Perhaps the same can be true for us if we are walking in the will of God and, instead of spinach, we ingest scripture.

Today there was an event for which I've been preparing for three days.  I was apprehensive about my energy level -  to make it through this last full day and then be "on" for the event itself.  On my bathroom counter is a scrap of paper reading these words:  "Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee." (Psalm 68:28)  Every time, upon seeing those workds in the last  48 hours, I would pray for strength.

The event is over; it is late at night, and I am not completely wrung out and exhausted.  My God sent forth strength for me, in part by sustaining me physically and in part by the help of beautiful friends and family who stood beside me and helped with the needed tasks. 


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Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. [Psalm 105:4]

Bitter or Sweet?

As a followup from yesterday's post, here is a quote from Amy Carmichael, the Irish missionary to India. 

"For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted."

What kind of water is in our hearts?  Is it sweet?  Is it bitter?  The Lord can take the bitter situations in our lives and turn them into sweetness in our hearts.  The more we seek Christ, the sweeter we become.  Pursue Him and His love.

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Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.  [Psalm 30:11]

Default Demeanor

Most of us have a general aura, or demeanor about us.  The question is:  What sort of demeanor are we in the habit of assuming towards our spouse?  What is our default position?  Is it sullen anger, peaceful acceptance, sharp/accusing, soft/loving, cold shoulder, quarrelsome/complaining? 

Proverbs 21 says, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman." 

I Peter 3 mentions "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

Would you rather live with the Proverbs 21 person or the I Peter 3 person?

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But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [I Timothy 6:11]

Practice Makes... Better

Working on one's marriage takes a lot of time, effort and practice. Being a good wife/husband isn't automatic.  Look at how many hours, days and years are put into getting a degree or music lessons or a sport. 

Becoming accomplished as a spouse takes, time, practice, effort, pain, bruises and coming back fighting (in a good way) to make things better. 

Ask the Lord to show you what skill you need to focus on right now regarding your learning curve as a wife or husband. .  God is faithful and will help you.  Remember, your job is to work on you, not to look at what your spouse is doing wrong.  Leave that part of the team to God.  

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 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  [II Corinthians 4:7]

Bring Back That Lovin' Feelin'

Remember that song?  It's true, the loving feelings aren't always there, sometimes for justifiable reasons.  What to do?

1.  Pray.  Ask God to help you forgive.
2.  Take the first step.  Reach out towards this person, who may not deserve your love at the moment.  Show kindness and forgiveness.  Be proactive.  This is very hard because you won't feel like it.  Maturity is developed in this process.  So is.....love.  Your actions, over time, will help to "bring back that lovin' feelin'. " 

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Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
[Psalm 51:12]

Needed Balance

Sticking it out for many years in a marriage can bring a new perspective. One eventually sees that the different approach our spouse takes to life's situations can provide needed balance to our one-sided approach.

I reached out in a small way to a friend with whom there'd been some strained feelings.  When telling my spouse what I had done, I questioned his opinion regarding my actions, saying, "You don't think it was necessary?"  He shrugged and said, "That's why God has us together," indicating that my actions were positive steps that he would not have initiated.

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 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? [Ecclesiastes 4:9-11]

Reconciliation

Whether it is in marriage, or in friendship, there are times when reconciliation is needed.  When we feel wronged, we often place the responsibility to reconcile in the offendor's court.  However, what if this person fails to initiate contact?  He or she may not even be aware of an offense.

How did we contribute to the conflict?  Can we apologize, even though the fault seems greater on their part?  Even after prayer for help, this can require a literal gritting of one's teeth as we approach the other person.  It seems so wrong that we have to initiate when they have been the offender. Yet this is following the way of Christ, and will bring about good things.  Even if the other person responds poorly, we can know that we tried.

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In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. [II Corinthians 5:19]