029 Married and Single

3 Minute Read that will bless you all week!

There is a question that can go to any area of marriage but I want to look at it from the 1 area that matters and impacts all areas of your marriage - most: 

What do you do when only 1 of the 2 wants to work on pursuing Christ in the marriage?

From not wanting to attend church, not wanting to pray, not wanting to work on a specific area of the marriage, all the way to just not believing in Christ at all - what is a spouse to do...  

Tough for sure - but there is hope.

Here’s a question I like to ask: What if Job's trust was in his wife? 

He was the richest man around, he had a great relationship with the Lord. Then, in 1 day he lost his wealth - job, 401k, houses, 10 kids & his heath, then 

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job 2:9

She’s often criticized for her harsh response, yet when we think of some of the tough things we too have faced, we may understand her raw feelings or what it’s like to come to, then act out of deep pain and hurt... Her response then, isn’t acceptable but understandable. In her own pain & emotions she just couldn't go any further...

And again the question to consider is, what if Job's trust was in his wife?

In her understandable place of pain, their reality was more than she could handle - she just couldn't go any further. 

So she said what she said, and even in the same tragic situation together, it left Job with the same choices available to us - today: (1) He could have fell out in the floor that his spouse could tell him to curse God and die, OR (2) Job could hold on to his faith. 

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10

There it is - that's your solution. Hold on to your faith. He’d lost every material thing - but he still had his relationship with the Lord. 

I know! We prefer more “practical” answers like: 3 things to fix, change, remove....or maybe a dive into more direct topics like: money, communication or dishes left in the sink…Nope! Whatever it is, hold on to your faith! Make it, keep it spiritual. Mrs. Job was overwhelmed by real losses and Job’s way forward was holding on to his faith. He was married but had to walk in faith - alone. 

They were side by side in the same tragic situation. Yet! When God finally restored Job, he restored his wife too. He was never told why their tough times were happening, or just wait till chapter 42 it all works out. He just knew to hold on to his faith even though his wife couldn’t.

1 Thing to Do, This Week: Write a handwritten note to your spouse, share 1 thing you: appreciate or admire or notice...be opposite of Job's wife - say something positive.