Your Marriage as Your Ministry
Dear Friends,
Have you ever thought of your marriage as your ministry?
We all know that our work can be our ministry, when we listen to others, understand their needs and connect them to biblical wisdom for the answers they seek. Well, isn’t that what marriage is all about – listening, understanding and connecting?
Many people think that marriage is about getting their needs met: “It’s all about me, so what am I getting out of this marriage?” Boy, that’s missing the point. When you got married, you became partners with your spouse and with God to help alleviate each other’s aloneness and meet each other’s emotional needs. He says in Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” In this verse, “devoted” means reciprocal tenderness, and “honor” means showing deference to another person. How often do you behave this way toward your spouse?
Matching God’s word with the realities of marriage takes work. I’ve said it before… a husband’s thinking is different than his wife’s thinking. When Judy shares an emotional need, I often don’t know how to deal with it and think, “I’m not going there.” It’s uncomfortable and difficult for me to address and express emotions. Yet, if I see my marriage as my ministry, my feelings of uncertainty lift because I remember that I can turn to God for guidance in how to respond to Judy with caring, concern and support. In fact, I’ve been asking God to help me focus on the way He sees her, not how I might like her to be (not so emotional!). Then by focusing on her aloneness and the needs of her heart, I can become an agent of Jesus to help meet her deepest needs.
So, what do people look for in a marriage partner? On an emotional level, I think they want a “soul mate,” someone they trust will be there for them when they have a problem, who takes the time to really listen to and understand their feelings, and to whom they feel emotionally connected and can rely on for support. Sounds a lot like what you do when you are counseling your clients, doesn’t it?
It’s time that we renew our commitment to view our marriage as our ministry, and treat our spouse with the same caring, respect and understanding that we treat others. When you view your marriage as a ministry, the guidance you need can be found in the Bible, just as you turn there for the financial wisdom that nourishes your practice as a ministry. You know that God has called you as a minister of His gospel in the workplace… are you doing the same thing at home? I’d love to hear how you may have strengthened (or saved) your marriage by viewing it as a ministry. Share your story and inspire others.
Blessings,
Ron
Seeing my wife as Christ sees her is a great viewpoint to have. After thinking about it for a while, it's really the only viewpoint to have.
Reply to this
As always, leading and living by example is the best way to encourage people to live a life in Christ. I hope all Christian couples think that their lives are a ministry for married couples every time the temptation to disagree comes around.
Reply to this
My wife, Linda and I are partners in business and ministry. In our insurance & financial planning business we are both licensed and serve clients. We have different skills and abilities and try to use them to glorify God. She has a servant's heart, so guess who does the customer service? Who better? And since I am the only one Securities licensed i handle that end.
it has been said that your greatest ministry springs out of your greatest pain, and that certainly is true for us. I'll spare you the details, but we have both been married before and gone through the financial,& emotional pain of divorce. God has restored the years the locust have eaten and after 15 years of marriage we are totally debt free and partnering in ministry. We are one of four couples who lead about 80 couples in our county in Marriage Mentoring. Linda & I seem to always get the step-family couples whose marriage is in crisis. It is tough work as Satan wants to destroy marriages and battle us.
Even though I have an MA in Counseling Psychology, we are equal partners in the mentoring. Many times God will give Linda insights through the Holy Spirit that no amount of Psychology could have come up with and that revelation will be just what the couple needs at that particular moment. And once in a while, Linda will have nothing and god will direct me. We find that many couples in trouble do not have a partnership marriage, but instead function from a sin of selfishness.
I have been a Sunday School teacher, Elder, Usher, & Director of Men's Ministry, and while all have been fulfilling, ministering with my wife as mentors has been the most exciting, challenging,and fulfilling ministry i have ever been involved with.
There is a great need all across America for couples mature in the Lord and stable in their marriage to come along side other couples and help them along God's marital path.
Mike Hurley
Reply to this