Growing Old Together……

Hello friends. This post is for all of you out there who are married, have been married, or plan to be one day.

Just this morning, God and I were chatting about marriage and “for better or for worse” and growing old together. I started thinking, and I do wonder, how many of you still have the same picture of what that looks like in mind? Can you still imagine that future together? For better or for worse? In sickness and in health? What does it look like? Are you still looking forward to that future together? Is the best really yet to come? As you age and grow together, are you still excited about that future together?

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. – Genesis 2:24

If you are and you still have that future in mind, I am thankful you can still see that vision ahead. I am thankful that you are still clinging to each other and keeping your marriage alive. Keep it going! Rebuke Satan and do not let him in to tear down what you have. He will try, but our God is stronger. Keep God first in your marriage and He will keep you going strong! Oh, the future will be so wonderful as long as you are following God and allow Him to make a way.

If your marriage is not all that great today, I want to ask you to think about what happened? When did it change? How did the spark become an ember, almost burned out? How can you get that spark back? I encourage you today, for a minute, or maybe for many minutes, to think back to when you first fell in love. Think about that spark and how exciting times were. That feeling in your gut that no other person could give you. Think back to that excitement for the journey as man and wife, Truly meaning “for better or for worse”. looking forward to a future together with excitement. And now, you cannot imagine next month with this person! How does it happen? Satan. That is how it happens. He finds the very weak spots that cause that spark to change and go dim and in some marriages, to go out completely. As John 10:10 says, he has come to kill, still, and destroy and he is doing that very thing with so many marriages. Hit your knees today and beg God to help you reconcile and figure out how to make your marriage right again.

So I challenge you today to reassess your marriage. The union of man and woman becoming one in a commitment to God in marriage. Vows made to God to honor, and obey, and love no matter what, til death do we part. A love that no man is to tear apart. Remember those vows? How can you get back to where you were when you made those vows?

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. – Matthew 19:5–6 (ESV)⁵ 

Tonight a dear friend lost his wife. She was such a loving woman. They married older in life and did not have much time to “grow old together”. I am so thankful they had a few years together of happiness before she left to be with Jesus. My heart is broken for her husband. I know he feels his time was cut short, however, I know that he is trusting God’s plan without doubt, and that is what will get him through this season.

So today I urge you. I beg you. Find that spark. Go together to God and ask Him to reignite the spark that was once there. Put yourself aside, search your heart, and ask God to change your heart to be able to meet your spouse where they are. Be willing to soften your heart to allow change to reignite the love between the two of you. There can be a wonderful future for you. For Better. And For Worse. Happily together and stronger than ever because of God. Love that He has demonstrated for us. It means being humble and admitting when you have been the one that was in the wrong. It is about not pointing fingers but in turn, searching yourself to see how God can use you to turn the ship around. Seek Him. He will relight the fire. He has a plan for you and your marriage.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. – Colossians 3:18–19 (ESV) ¹⁸ 

I do pray this gives you some things to think about. Marriage is not disposable. It is meant to last. It is designed by God to be a wonderful joining of man and woman. It will not be great every day. There will be days that are rough, but these rough spots sanded away make us stronger. Be the one to choose joy and understanding when your spouse cannot. Cling to God and to one another. Please do not let Satan have control of your marriage. He wants to tear marriages all apart and drive wedges between you and God. One of you will give more than the other all the time. It takes more than 50/50, for sure. God is enough. He will give you what you need to make it work, just keep your eyes on Him. It will not be easy, in fact, it is hard work. But it is sooooooo worth it! Til Death do you part.

Now go plan that future together – the best is yet to come!!!! Love to you all!