Lead Me
Ok. So, it's 4:25 am. Something MUST be up because this girl would never see this hour unless someone were puking or needed to be nursed or there was a flight to a tropical paradise on her schedule. Since none of those things are the case, you might guess that The Holy Spirit has something to do with it.
In light of the recent confusion I've been experiencing lately, God has begun to illuminate (no pun intended) the dark corners of my mind to reveal a bit of where I need to surrender to Him.
Clearly I am aware that pride is a no-no. So ditch it right? Well, this deep rooted miserable condition is so insidious , it is like a computer virus that has penetrated your hard drive so deeply that all the programs on your computer are affected. Deleting it is next to impossible, scars remain.
I have found that I think I am removing the bad things in my life only to discover that they intertwine way past they point that I was aware of.
Follow me here...
I know that pride is a sin.
I know that respecting one's husband is essential to a successful marriage.
I know that he is to be the spiritual leader of our household.
I know that respecting my husband's spiritual leadership is essential to my successful marriage.
I know that pride (that is, insisting I know better) will preceed a fall.
(For those of you who don't recognise the structure above - it is a simple classic chiasm - with the emphasis on the center statement.)
So...do you see what I see? I might have discovered the kink in my "surrender" hose. (!!!)
Respect is defined as "to hold in esteem or honor". I respect my husband. I highly esteem him. I think he is incredible. He is an excellent provider and protector. He is the head of this household (ie; he wears the pants around here.) I surrendered the spiritual leadership to him right after he was baptized. After all I can trust him right? He is saved. He has the Spirit. He is responsible. He has proved that in every other area of our lives but...
Despite my lack of assurance in his ability to adequately lead in this arena, I am commanded to respect my husband. Does that simply apply to the things I think he can handle? Absolutely not! It applies to all things. It applies to the spiritual leadership of our family. I am convicted that this area might be more important than any other area that I might show respect.
It's been said that little boys learn how to be daddies from their dads. So the converse should be true that little girls learn how to be mommies from their moms. They also learn how to be wives. I fully agree with my friend who said "Our children need to see the respect that we have for our spouses revealed in our responses to their responses". Looking back on it, She was suggesting that what is revealed in our responses (our attitudes) shouts volumes about our respect for our husbands. The response that we have to our spouses will model behaviors that can affect the next generation exponentially. Modeling respectful, godly behavior is good parenting and responsible christianity.
This type of godly behavior is not easy for me. The women who have raised me, for generations before, showed little respect to their spouses. I say showed. I can't assume they didn't hold it, but the certainly didn't show it. Not in my presence anyway. What I learned about respecting my husband was a recent acquisition of carefully watching other godly women (not my family) who by the grace given to them in seeking His will through studying the Word, live what they read.
Fast forward to v. 33..."women respect your husbands". Ditch your pride. Do you want to please the Father? Then do it. Stop being the control freak that you are and kick the habit of trying to mastermind (and manipulate) everything. Trust. Rest. Be free. Rest. Trust. (I like these chiasms.)
I, deep down inside, know that my husband is doing all he knows how to do. In all fairness, this is new to him too. Being the (spiritual) head of his household was not a behavior modeled by his father. You have to learn it from somewhere. I pray that our Heavenly Father will lead him in that way. Since I trust Him to know what is best for us I have no choice but to surrender this control I feel I must have.
There. I did it. Now, off to bask in freedom!
If you have a minute listen to "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real
A cry for help.
I know where my help comes from ~ Psalm 121
In light of the recent confusion I've been experiencing lately, God has begun to illuminate (no pun intended) the dark corners of my mind to reveal a bit of where I need to surrender to Him.
Clearly I am aware that pride is a no-no. So ditch it right? Well, this deep rooted miserable condition is so insidious , it is like a computer virus that has penetrated your hard drive so deeply that all the programs on your computer are affected. Deleting it is next to impossible, scars remain.
I have found that I think I am removing the bad things in my life only to discover that they intertwine way past they point that I was aware of.
Follow me here...
I know that pride is a sin.
I know that respecting one's husband is essential to a successful marriage.
I know that he is to be the spiritual leader of our household.
I know that respecting my husband's spiritual leadership is essential to my successful marriage.
I know that pride (that is, insisting I know better) will preceed a fall.
(For those of you who don't recognise the structure above - it is a simple classic chiasm - with the emphasis on the center statement.)
So...do you see what I see? I might have discovered the kink in my "surrender" hose. (!!!)
Respect is defined as "to hold in esteem or honor". I respect my husband. I highly esteem him. I think he is incredible. He is an excellent provider and protector. He is the head of this household (ie; he wears the pants around here.) I surrendered the spiritual leadership to him right after he was baptized. After all I can trust him right? He is saved. He has the Spirit. He is responsible. He has proved that in every other area of our lives but...
Despite my lack of assurance in his ability to adequately lead in this arena, I am commanded to respect my husband. Does that simply apply to the things I think he can handle? Absolutely not! It applies to all things. It applies to the spiritual leadership of our family. I am convicted that this area might be more important than any other area that I might show respect.
It's been said that little boys learn how to be daddies from their dads. So the converse should be true that little girls learn how to be mommies from their moms. They also learn how to be wives. I fully agree with my friend who said "Our children need to see the respect that we have for our spouses revealed in our responses to their responses". Looking back on it, She was suggesting that what is revealed in our responses (our attitudes) shouts volumes about our respect for our husbands. The response that we have to our spouses will model behaviors that can affect the next generation exponentially. Modeling respectful, godly behavior is good parenting and responsible christianity.
This type of godly behavior is not easy for me. The women who have raised me, for generations before, showed little respect to their spouses. I say showed. I can't assume they didn't hold it, but the certainly didn't show it. Not in my presence anyway. What I learned about respecting my husband was a recent acquisition of carefully watching other godly women (not my family) who by the grace given to them in seeking His will through studying the Word, live what they read.
Women submit to your husbands as to the Lord
Ephesians 5:22
Fast forward to v. 33..."women respect your husbands". Ditch your pride. Do you want to please the Father? Then do it. Stop being the control freak that you are and kick the habit of trying to mastermind (and manipulate) everything. Trust. Rest. Be free. Rest. Trust. (I like these chiasms.)
I, deep down inside, know that my husband is doing all he knows how to do. In all fairness, this is new to him too. Being the (spiritual) head of his household was not a behavior modeled by his father. You have to learn it from somewhere. I pray that our Heavenly Father will lead him in that way. Since I trust Him to know what is best for us I have no choice but to surrender this control I feel I must have.
There. I did it. Now, off to bask in freedom!
If you have a minute listen to "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real
A cry for help.
I know where my help comes from ~ Psalm 121
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