It has, inadvertently, become an "office day". Stuck inside, on the computer, but blessed to be able to take care of some things for the people we are working with. My hubby flits over to Facebook on the computer next to me and we see someone dear to us in the midst of marriage problems, young, and airing it on the web.
My heart breaks, their 1st anniversary not yet celebrated, their young 18 years of life marred by family dysfunction... they just don't know what marriage really is yet.
Sadly, I didn't know either. 18 years of life, saying "I do", family of dysfunction... 4 years later I said "I don't", 2-year old in tow. Marriage was disposable, life was collateral. I had no clue. I was a tornado ripping through, not just my life, but everyone else's. I was in pain and I had no measurable line to tell me what life was, what love was, what marriage is meant to be. All I knew was, you hurt me - I hurt you.
Then God.
A year after divorce I was stepping into relationship and marriage again. Unbeknownst to me, the master marriage counselor stepped in too. He showed me:
Marriage is NOT perfect.
People hurt
People lie
People cheat
People deceive
People ignore
People hate
People fight...
But God.
God calls us to look past all that. To SEE with the HEART. To know someone's hurts, past, hang-ups and ugly spots... and love them anyway.
God called ME to love with my every breath in-spite of my every hurt. And so I did. And I learned
People heal
People find truth
People find loyalty
People reveal
People pay attention
People love
People amend...
And God.
God restores.
GOD restores every piece of every dark and shattered spot. All people have to do is ask... lean... trust... hope.... and know:
sometimes it takes time
sometimes we grow up while we wait
sometimes we just grow
sometimes it feels like no time will ever come and
sometimes it comes just-like-that
In a blink
God
and man
and wife
and life moves forward on this crazy marble we call earth. Spinning and living and learning.
Marriage is NOT easy, not one bit. It is the daily choice to love another person more than yourself no matter what. After all... don't we want to be loved, no matter what back?
But first, God
the rest will follow.
People me.
People him.
God and We and love and forgiveness and hope will follow.
Forgiven... forgiving... every-single-day,
Link-up Parties I love! See what other happenin' hangouts I might join Monday-Wednesday Hops here.
Beautiful. A GOOD marriage is a union of two forgivers. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it was heavy on my heart and I just felt God tugging me to share.
DeleteI love the description and analogy of a tornado destroying everything, including your own life, in your path. I too was a damaging force with an insecure heart. God is the glue and His redemption is supernatural. Well done and said.
ReplyDeleteI parked next to you over at Jennifer's... Yeah, I noticed you kind of crowded the parking line stripe, but we're all about forgiveness!
Floyd, When god laid those Words in my Heart, I just knew He would send someone that understood! Praise Him for Grace and redemption! thank you for sharing! God Bless
DeleteOh! This was good. I just posted on forgiveness in marriage. We are all a mess on occasion, aren't we? There was a time I was my own tornado... Before the LORD got a hold of me. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteGretchen
www.31cups.blogspot.com
God is good to remind us all, isn't He? Thank you for stopping by and sharing! We serve a great and awesome God!
Delete"GOD restores every piece of every dark and shattered spot."
ReplyDeleteOh how your words resonated with me Amanda. God does restore!
So grateful to find my way here this morning.
Blessings to you.
Beth, I am so grateful you found your way here too... that God could touch your heart here today and I am blessed to know it!
DeleteI found you through the Story Community at #TellHisStory today. What a beautifully honest picture of marriage you present. I love the "but God" passages in the Bible. We really are hopeless unless his steps in. And he always does -- Remember Abraham and Isaac? It's just not always as soon as, or in the way, we expect. But, it's always good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me.
I am blessed you stopped by... and yes, Abraham and Isaac are such a beautiful picture of love and faith and obedience to God! God bless!
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