Love Didn't Save My Marriage

Love didn't save my marriage... at least in the terms of how this world loves. There is a difference between falling in love, staying in love vs. having unconditional love. The way this world shows love is  based on conditions, people love until you mess up, make a mistake, people love you when your popular, people love new,  but when you fall, when you say the wrong thing, when you hit a roadblock that love soon melts away.

My marriage wasn't saved by this kind of love, people would ask me "but don't you love each other." the fact is love wasn't enough. Love couldn't take my pain away, love couldn't make me trust again, love couldn't cover the damage that I thought had been done.

Love by definition is an intense feeling or deep affection. The problem with that definition is like any feeling it can change. When the world’s problems hit you, love isn't enough, because it changes you, changes your emotions and because it changes it’s unstable.

So what saved my marriage? It was more then love, it was agape love, the love of Christ, because that kind of love is a life changer, it’s impactful, its consistent, it’s a foundation not a feeling and ultimately it’s a sacrifice that has been perfectly demonstration by the Lord.  It was this kind of love that I realized I had never had and never received. It was Christ's love that saved my marriage.

It was in Christ's love that I found healing, it was in His pursuit that I found change in myself, it was in his love that our marriage was restored.

Where I Fail You Prevail

How many times have we fallen short, failed, messed up, tripped, turned in the wrong direction? How many times have we chose to misstep, took a dangerous route BUT it wasn't fatal, it wasn't the worst case scenario, it wasn't that bad. Some would say they were “lucky,” some would say “the odds were in their favor” but I say God was looking out for me.

I have had some close calls, many scares, many, “Wow, that could have been bad” moments. But instead of focusing on the negative, the- what- could-have- been, I choose to say Thank you Lord for looking out for me, thank you Lord for being strong when I am weak, Thank you Lord for your protection, Thank you Lord that where I fail you prevail.

We may never fully know how often God is protecting us. And we may never fully know everything He is protecting us from, but the almost-moments that do come up: Almost got in a car accident, my child almost got hurt, the cancer scare, the time when I thought I was going to lose my job, etc. Those almost moments are in-your-face-reminders of how awesome God is, how he protects us, watches over us and how faithful He fully is. In a world that is against Him and an enemy that tries to pull us away, let us remember that God is always there, He is present and let us not forget He is directing our steps.

Psalm 17:5 The Message (MSG)
4-5 I’m not trying to get my way
in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
I’m not giving up.

God Is Still God

I have seen a lot of grief lately, a lot of loss, heart breaking diagnoses, marriages torn apart, even death. But I am reminded that God is still God. For every marriage torn apart, God is restoring; for every cancer diagnosis, God is healing; for every death, God brings new life. Do not be discouraged by the darkness instead stay strong, keep the faith, He is still at work, He is still in control and most importantly God is still God!