Expectations :: Marriage Edition
This month is mine and Andrew’s anniversary month. In just 15 days we will celebrate our 10 year anniversary! And while our 10 years have gone by in a beautiful flash, they have not been easy. If you’ve been married to anyone longer than a year you probably know that marriage is not effortless or painless. It’s a lot of daily hard work and dedication.
I could go on and write a lot about this topic, but I’m going to save some of it for a later post. Today I want to focus in on a few things I’ve learned from my current Bible study, No Other Gods by Kelly Minter. She’s one of my favorite writers, especially of Bible studies – they are wonderfully drafted and cause me to really search the Scriptures as well as my heart.
This past week we were on session seven and each day’s study title is listed below. As you read the titles, pay attention to the person(s) you may think about as satisfying that <thing> for you.
- He Satisfies Your Longings
- He Rescues You
- He Takes Away Your Sin and Shame
- He’s the One You Can Trust
- He Promises Blessing
Some of those are easy to say, ‘Oh I put God there, totally. He does that for me.’ But a couple of the others, it would be easy to sub in the name of your spouse or even a very close friend. I’ll admit to you that I have done that.
No one can truly satisfy these areas of your heart like Jesus can. I’m really bad at inadvertently casting my expectations and needs on others {especially Andrew}, and they constantly fail me. Andrew has failed me over and over in our ten years of marriage. Not because he isn’t a good husband, not at all. Rest assured he is one of the very best. It’s because he has failed the ridiculous expectations I have put on him and most likely kept those expectations to myself. How could he even come close to doing the things that only Jesus can do for me. I cannot put him on the same level as the Lord. Andrew cannot satisfy my soul’s deepest longings; he cannot rescue me from myself and the stupid mistakes/sins I often commit; sure I can trust him, but I cannot give my heart fully to him and expect it to never be hurt or broken, only the Lord can do that.
If you’re a believer and you’ve surrendered your life to Jesus, you know these things, but maybe you need a friendly reminder to put all your expectations and trust and hope in the Lord. He alone will satisfy your heart.
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus or you’ve never heard these things, know that Jesus is the only One who can fulfill the deepest longings of your soul.
I’m here if you have any questions or need anything.
Until next time dear sister…
