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When You’re Newlyweds: Patience
It is one of the sad consequences of our competitive, media-driven, consumerist culture that we expect perfection in others but excuse mediocrity in ourselves. Restaurants and hotels live on the edge, knowing that all it takes is one bad experience and a customer will never be back.
When you’re a newlywed, you are marrying a rookie, someone who will make rookie mistakes. That’s why God tells husbands and wives to let go of Mommy and Daddy and stick like glue to their spouses--never, ever comparing a husband to Daddy or a wife to Mom. It’s an inherently unfair comparison, since you are remembering mature veterans. Cut your newlywed spouse some slack.
“As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with . . . patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:12,13).
Think of how often God has had to be patient with you. Think of how he has nurtured you and put up with stuff and invested energy and resources in you. Think of how you learned from your failures and thrived on encouragement and praise. Well, hello! How about extending some of that same patience to your spouse?
Lord, forgive us our sins as we forgive our spouses who sin against us.
It is one of the sad consequences of our competitive, media-driven, consumerist culture that we expect perfection in others but excuse mediocrity in ourselves. Restaurants and hotels live on the edge, knowing that all it takes is one bad experience and a customer will never be back.
When you’re a newlywed, you are marrying a rookie, someone who will make rookie mistakes. That’s why God tells husbands and wives to let go of Mommy and Daddy and stick like glue to their spouses--never, ever comparing a husband to Daddy or a wife to Mom. It’s an inherently unfair comparison, since you are remembering mature veterans. Cut your newlywed spouse some slack.
“As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with . . . patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:12,13).
Think of how often God has had to be patient with you. Think of how he has nurtured you and put up with stuff and invested energy and resources in you. Think of how you learned from your failures and thrived on encouragement and praise. Well, hello! How about extending some of that same patience to your spouse?
Lord, forgive us our sins as we forgive our spouses who sin against us.
Scripture
About this Plan
Marriage is an amazing gift from God, but it is also hard. Many marriages struggle - partners either don’t know how to treat each other or they know and don't want to change. These devotions, one for each day of your month, are for married people, for those who hope to be married, and for all of you who used to be married. Re-listen to God's words about this sacred institution and rededicate your ways to be more like his ways.
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We would like to thank Time of Grace for providing this plan. For more information, please visit www.timeofgrace.org.
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