… give thanks in all circumstances … – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I want to speak to those who are unhappy in their marriages.
Kim and I have been married for almost 29 years, and we have gone through seasons of unhappiness. There have been times when I really didn’t know what drug induced me to say, "I do."
Jesus knows all about this, yet He says, "Give thanks."
Why would He ask us to do such a thing? Is He trying to wring some last bit of holiness out of us even when He knows we are miserable?
I don’t think so. I think rather He is saying, "Yes, I know you are in the middle of a difficult time. But I want you to come up here, sit beside Me, and see things from My perspective for a while."
And what is God’s perspective?
Eternity. God, who never wastes pain, sees an ocean of joy ahead, even when you are trudging through a desert of gloom. He has a plan for your spouse. And, more to the point, He has a plan for you.
God is God. Some days He dances with you. Some days He puts His arm around your shoulders. Some days He steps back and gives you space to sort things out by yourself. And some days He carries you. All of this is part of God’s eternal plan to bring you fully into the experience of your identity as His son or daughter. You are loved, and He will spare no expense to enable you to experience that love — all the way to the core of your soul.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.