Greetings Internet Campus,
Hebrews 13:4 (ESV) 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
This week we are going to look at marriage...what are some of those things that can "stain" or taint the purity of your marriage....
Today, we're going to look at one of the marriage-killers...selfishness. Me first. My feelings matter. I need to be fulfilled. You aren't taking care of MY needs....me me me me me....
I remember when I was in the Boy Scouts. I was given the assignment to row a cub scout across the lake in a canoe. We both entered the boat and I started to paddle. I used every bit of muscle that I had...I pushed...I grunted....I pulled....we weren't getting very far. In fact, we were going backwards. Why? The little cub scout in the back was paddling the wrong direction. Selfishness is a lot like that. No matter how hard one spouse tries to pull the marriage forward....the selfish person is pushing it the other way. The way THEY want it to go.
Sound familiar? Hopefully not. Selfishness is a not-so-silent stumbling block in a lot of relationships. Sexually, it causes resentment. Emotionally, it brings secret bitterness. Selfishness is one of those marriage stresses that will never relent on it's own...why? Because it can never be fulfilled. Selfish people are never satisfied. How much is enough? Just one more. Now let's bring that into the marriage bed...
If you are a selfish spouse...you control your sex life. You make all the big decisions. You control the money. You pout when you don't get your way. You take the bed...they go to the couch. You don't compromise. You manipulate to get your way.
That isn't you is it? Your marriage will never be what it can be if one of you is selfish. You may need to read that again. It's true. You need to pull in the same direction...have the same goals...
overcome the negative effects of selfishness...How?
Live for each other. Share in decisions. Be the partners that God created you to be.
Communicate. You might hear that word a few times this week. It is the main gear in the marital machine.
Write it Down: Why have some couples replaced commitment with selfishness? Write down 3 qualities of a selfish marriage... pray that God protects your marriage from this.
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
1 comment:
You know how you can edit your Facebook Profile to "Nicola is..." and you can input whatever you want after that?
Well, "Nicola is wondering why she's the only one who ever thinks she may be the one being selfish, and trying to re-adjust her mindset..."
And then - "Nicola is wondering if that very thought isn't part of the "Its all about Me" syndrome!"
Living as a God-Follower is really, really hard sometimes...
We've been married almost 16 years and always think we have a good marriage - but there are moments that are really tough to figure out sometimes!
:-(
Now I just ask Jesus to take the wheel!!!
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