As I prepare to speak at an upcoming Women’s Retreat on the topic of marriage, Satan is revealing a side of himself I’ve never seen before. He is always on his job and I’ve had to be on my job, plus work overtime - in prayer, praise, and fasting. I’ve been exhausted with the enemy’s trifling tricks to cause confusion in my marriage and attempts to take my mind off Jesus. The more my husband and I strive to live our lives for The Lord and glorify Him in our marriage, the more time the enemy spends at the drawing board trying to come up with a more clever plan than the last to cause division in our home. It amazes me how a carefree conversation can turn sour in a matter of seconds. What happened? Did I say something? Did I miss something? My goodness, can I take a break from the battle? No! There is absolutely no time for taking breaks. I must always keep my mind on Jesus, maintain a praying spirit, and continually praise God regardless of the situation. Taking a break is a breakthrough for the enemy!
My husband and I have been led to lead the Couples Ministry at our church, which means the battle gets bigger; yet praise God it’s already won! God has prepared us for battle and we are more than conquerors. All that we have gone through and will go through is God’s perfect plan for our marriage and for His glory – it’s not about us. We are together today because of God’s grace and mercy – not because we are such a strong couple, yet we must be strong in the Lord! Yes, I get tired sometimes and wonder if the constant matrimony battles are worth it, yet if the suffering Jesus endured for me was worth it, so are my light afflictions for Him. My job in these endless battles is to diligently pray and praise God from the sidelines, remain Christ-controlled in my thoughts and actions, and share His awesome power with others as it is repeatedly revealed to me.
Psalm 34:1 (NKJV)
I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
