A thought on Marriage...

Because of my job at Lakepointe, I do a lot of marrige counseling. It is very challenging and yet very inspiring to me all at the same time. Something that the Lord has been showing me lately is how much he uses marriage to refine us in our relationship with Him. I have started a group for women who's husbands struggle with sex addiction, and this thought began there. Marriage is God's institution, He created it, and I think he did that for us to have companionship...yes, but also to draw us closer to Him. It's easy to look into those marriages and see how these women are able to draw near to God in the midst of their bitter betrayal, but I think He works this way in ALL marriges. Even losing your patience with your husband's annoying habits, or being prideful about your children or marriage need to be refined, and will be refined by God. He uses that union to get down to our core and He makes our weak areas appearant to us and our spouse. Hopefully, your marriage is a safe one and these flaws can be gently nudged toward postive change and not thrown back at you to push you down even further. All in all, I am growing in my understanding of marriage and God's purpose for it. Ultimately it is to glorify God and to draw us close to Him. We recieved a book when we got married that said "God uses marriage not to make us happier, but to make us Holier." I know we can't reach holiness on this side of heaven, but that quote is beginning to make sense as I walk with people through their marriages and also reflect on my own.