It seems like everywhere you go there is always someone you can suck the positive right out of the concept of marriage. There is always some man hater or guy who sounds like he has been personally burned by every woman in town. That is why I feel like you always need to be your marriage’s best advocate.
Life’s issues, as well as other people, can take a toll your married life. You have to constantly be rebuilding or repairing bumps and pot holes along the way. That is also biblical by the way. Nehemiah 2-4. Lies the question to Persian king Artaxerxes asked Nehemiah, his trusted Jewish cupbearer, in Nehemiah 2:2, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?
This can be nothing but sadness of heart?" The king's observation was accurate. Nehemiah's heart was burdened by a call that God had placed in him to rebuild the shattered walls of Jerusalem that had been destroyed when the nation was taken into captivity.
In response to Nehemiah's request, King Artaxerxes permitted Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to assess the state of the walls and eventually to begin repairs. God had obviously stirred Nehemiah's and the king's heart to begin the difficult work of restoration.
But, as Nehemiah soon learned through the mocking and ridicule of neighbors, enemy attacks to undermine his efforts, and the waning confidence of his own people, obeying God's call to rebuild was going to require remarkable perseverance, faith and obedience.
Let me ask you this question, have you ever been in a situation where your heart was saying work on that relationship, yet the ones who seem to be your friends appear to be totally against it. Some much so that they are actually trying to talk you out of it. Now, Like Nehemiah, many of you are also experiencing a great sadness of heart.
And for many, this emotional state is directly connected with the struggles in your marriage. The disappointments, frustration and anger have left your own emotions in shambles, much like those broken walls of Jerusalem. My message to you is to have hope that God hears your cries just as He heard the lament of the Hebrew captives.
God is calling you to rebuild the walls of your marriage. This call to rebuild is about prioritizing God's desires for your marriage over your own desires, in a pursuit of holiness. It is a call to marital intimacy that is built on selflessness, trust and respect. It is a call to extend grace as you unconditionally love the spouse to whom God has joined you.
And, it is a call for an investment of time to allow strained emotions to heal. Against the trials of life, marital stressors and the doubt of other people, you have to take a stand. It is so easy to understand homes and gardens need maintenance and that children need some TLC but we cannot seem to apply those concepts to our marriage.
Our marriages need maintained, need nurturing and if they go to long will need rebuilding. You should be prepared, however, for attacks on your efforts to rebuild your marriage. In a culture that values individualism and self-satisfaction, your efforts to exemplify godly stewardship, humility and grace in marriage will be mocked, sometimes from your own family.
With half of those around you opting for divorce, your unconditional commitment to an abundant marriage will be met with sarcasm and envy. All of us experience attacks on our marriage, often leading to our own sadness of heart. God, however, has made provisions for you to withstand these negative influences.
Fortifying the walls of your marriage is not simple, as it also requires obedience to the Lord's call to rebuild. And it also takes diligence, which is a steady consistent effort to finish the task at hand.
You closest friends and family just may not have your best interests at heart in some cases. More importantly, even if you are not a believer, or lack in faith, I still only stress the importance of sticking up for and guarding your marriage against outsiders.
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