The season of weddings is upon us. I love weddings, LOVE THEM! In my life I have had the great opportunity to be in many weddings. My life is at an interesting place right now, as my younger siblings are beginning to get married and on the flip side I have people in my life now getting divorced. So I see two ends of the spectrum. And here I stand, 4 years into my own marriage thinking how do we go from Hero to Zero so quickly? How do we go from marital bliss, honeymoon love to hate, resentment and the breaking of the vows we said with so much passion and love. What will set my marriage apart, what advice can I give these people that mean so much to me as some begin their marriage and others begin to end theirs? You see a marriage relationship is at times the hardest relationship we have. It's almost unnatural to be selfless like that, to give without receiving, to love unconditionally, to fill someone up when you have nothing left. What is the answer here?
There is no surprise to my regular readers when I say Jesus. Jesus is the answer. You see when you put Jesus as the head of your life. When you exalt him above all else, he then gets to pour over into. Jesus is the great water source. When he is above he then pours into us and it is so abundant that it overflows into those around us. So, when we run out of love, and grace and hope and forgiveness he is there, pouring into us. Filling us up with those things that we lack. Our relationship with Christ is the greatest marriage, we are his beautiful Bride. As we walk down the aisle to him he is sobbing at our beauty because he's never seen anything more amazing then when we choose to walk with him. There is nothing that we can bring here, there's no way to earn his love, because he has already earned it for us. The ultimate love story is the story of the walk up a hill to the cross where the greatest sacrifice was paid. Where we were redeemed. When I run out of hope, grace, love, and forgiveness in my marriage all I need to do is go to the source of all these things and all I need will be added. That is how relationships survive and flourish abundantly. You may be reading this at the beginning of this journey and so to you I say take the step down the aisle knowing that this covenant is unbreakable. That the covenant you are making before God, each other and your family is forever. Not forever until you run out of love, hope, grace and forgiveness but forever until you die. Know that when you are human, when you make mistakes and when you fall short that you will go to the source of great love and he will fill you up. So that then you can overflow to your partner and those around you. If you are reading this and you are at the end of your marriage, where you have run out of hope, grace, love and forgiveness. When you can no longer trust, know this; there is healing in Jesus. Just as he can save you he can save your marriage too. It doesn't matter how far gone you or your spouse are. Put him above all and all else will be added, he says that to us here in:
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
To those of us who are married, have kids and are in the daily cycle of life continue to remember your vows. Continue to look to the Lord to fill you up so that you can overflow that to your spouse and your family. Let us be the generation that ends the cycle of divorce. How can we support each other in this? I have a group of ladies that hold me accountable for my marriage. We check in with each other weekly to make sure that we are overflowing to our husbands what they need and that we are being poured into. Please find some accountability in your circle of friends, or let me know this is a need for you and I would be happy to serve in this capacity.
If are not married, continue to put the Lord above all else. He is refining you for the plans he has in you, he is pouring into you what you need. Seek solace in his embrace and he will fill you up with his everlasting love.
Friends, there is no perfection in my words. I fail epically in many avenues of what I just mentioned. We not perfect alone, I need this grace, hope, love and forgiveness just as you do. Let's commit together to hold each other accountable for these things. If you have not made the decision to follow the Lord, it will be the best and most important decision you can make. Go to the water source and you will never thirst again. You are FEARFULLY BEAUTIFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE by a creator who loves you more than a groom loves his bride.
This song says it all:
The Well
Much Love,
Chrystan
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