‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ John 8:32 NLT
The idea of ‘the perfect marriage’ misleads and disillusions us, preparing us to walk away when fantasy clashes with reality. And it always does! Only when you accept the truth about frail, faltering, frustrating people—and you yourself are one—can you find lasting happiness in marriage.
So for the next few days let’s look at some of the most common misconceptions about marriage. The love bug: We think if we’re in the right place, at the right time, with the right person, love will ‘bite’ us and we’ll embark on a lifetime of bliss. The trouble is, when we are worn out from taking care of kids, jobs and mortgages, the love bug flies off. In the daily grind of dishes, nappies and drudgery, something has to give.
So romance vacates centre stage and reality takes over. And because we confuse romance with true love, we mistakenly think love has moved out and we need to follow it. The truth is, love doesn’t die because romance bows to reality. If two people who fall in love are willing to stand together in love through the challenges of life, romance can blossom again stronger and more resilient than ever. Romance may bring us together, but unselfish love keeps us together.
The Bible says: ‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It… rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.’ (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT)
SoulFood: Deut 30:1–32:28, Matt 8:18–34, Ps 62, Prov 12:18–19
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024