Friday, May 20, 2011

marriage

This past week my prince and I began our marriage counseling classes. We are going through a book called Marriage 101, back to the basics.

This weeks lesson was centered on 1 Peter 3:8

"Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it." 

After skimming through this verse a couple times, I had to go back to the last part and read it again. The part that really stood out to me was the command to repay insults with a blessing....What! How unfair! That was my immediate thought...

until this morning I coincidentally was reading in 1 Peter 2. (vs. 21-23)

"He (Christ) is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered."

This passage just happens to come before the chapters on husbands and wives, and the verse that I had just read in my marriage counseling book! 

So here is what I am learning...

Marriage's sole purpose is not my happiness. (gasp!)

Marriage is actually an extension of God's calling on my life.

Marriage is an opportunity for me to become more like Christ.


God says that if we follow Christ's example in our relationships, "he will bless you for it." 1 Peter 3:9


Hmmmm it seems to me that the key to a good marriage is backwards to what the world tells us! That means I must be intentional and purposeful in how I approach the holy unity of marriage. 


"Keep your eyes on Jesus"


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8 comments:

  1. Yes, Yes, Yes! Amen to that Laura! This is so true, one of the major things I learned right after getting married was that God created marriage, to teach us how to be more like him. How to forgive, and love unconditionally. So true!

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  2. Laura, I do not know you personally, but can tell you that you will have a GREAT marriage if you keep this in the forefront of your mind and heart. Thank you for reminding me!!!

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  3. I really enjoyed going through out premarital coaching classes- we learned a lot, and leaning the lesson you just learned, will help you through a lot of things! Keep it fresh in your mind! ;)

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  4. SO TRUE!! Look at you, getting marriage already and your not even there yet!! If you can live out these words your marriage will be a VERY blessed one. Your gonna LOOOOOVE being married!! So excited for you :)

    ps. did you get the picture of that garter that we saw for you?? It was so perfect..

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  5. So good. and you are right. I talked on marriage today too. hehehe

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  6. By golly, I think you got it as my Grandmother would say :) Very awesome revelation <3 Blessings!!

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  7. So true, and so wonderful. If you can learn to fight fair, and not insult one another, life will be so much easier!!! And marriage really is a blessing in our relationship with Christ. As I overlook those shortcomings and faults in my Beloved, that I want so badly to pick on, I see just how much more (faults and shortcomings) God has forgiven in my life. And I fall in love with Jesus even more, and my Beloved. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. So good Laur and something that is important to remember in the good and hard times!! :)

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