Men, love your wives a Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.
Encouragement for those of you who are struggling in a relationship right now:
GOD CARES about your heart and the heart of the one you love. He does not want your love to die, but you cannot have the best of everything in your love life without having Him at the center of it. (keep reading… there is hope)
It’s never too late for two people who truly love each other to stop the destructive things they are doing to harm their love relationship, and start doing things that bring life to their relationship. All too often couples speak death and entertain thoughts of death and division when they are wounded or angry or frustrated. They even look elsewhere for intimacy during these times. STOP IT if you are doing this. Repent from it!
When two people are willing to go deep and find the richness that comes from thoughtful and honest communication about what they need, what pains their hearts, and how they feel, God can work in their hearts. When this happens, you will end up with a stronger, more passionate, and more meaningful relationship then ever before. The love you have is worth fighting for so don’t give up on it!
MEN!!!! If you have wounded the heart of the woman in your life through your foolishness, insensitivity or even willful sin – REPENT! Stop what you are doing that is wounding her heart!!! Stop it! REPENT (turn away from it)!!! Remove anything from your life that is a hindrance in protecting her heart. Nothing is more valuable to you in this life than a woman who has truly given her heart to you – NOTHING!
She is a grace gift to you from God. BUT DO NOT THINK that you can abuse such a gift and not run the risk of losing it forever if you do not change our ways. Rid your life of anything that she feels is damaging your relationship with her and pursue her with your WHOLE heart as if she were the very air that you breath.
WOMEN!!!! You may be the one who is wounding your man’s heart through your insensitivity to his insecurities. You may even be the one who is being unfaithful and breaking the commitment you have made to him after years of frustration in your relationship with him. This is NOT of God. You are in his life to refine him and be God’s instrument of grace to perfect him into the potential man you first saw in him. Don’t jump ship just because you are tired of the journey or frustrated with the situation. Stop!
True love is worth fighting for. If you have a man who if deeply in love with you no matter how big of a jerk he is at times, there is hope. God put you in his life to DE-jerk him. Just remain faithful to the work at hand in helping him reach his full potential as a man and the lover of your soul. YOU will be blessed for it.
When he is a jerk in the things he says or is doing, tell him. COMMUNICATE!!!! Lovingly take him by the hand, look into his eyes, and tell him how he is hurting your heart. Then, be willing to forgive and move forward with what you know is real in your heart towards him – the desire and love that brought you to him in the first place.
YOU must be willing to be true to your love and the grace gift you have been given. Do not open yourself up to anything (any other man’s affections) that could be dangerous to the love you have for the man you have been given who love you so deeply. He is a gift to you.
If you have been unfaithful while you have been apart, stop it. Don’t just admit it, but confess it and repent of it. God’s grace is sufficient and He will heal your relationship if you are willing to let your heart be true to the one you have been given.
MEN AND WOMEN!!! Love conquers all. Love covers a multitude of sin. Love never fails. If you don’t ‘feel’ in love, it’s ok. Act in love and your faith for love will grow, and your feelings will follow close behind. Just don’t give up on love.