Friday, June 4, 2010

Confession: I Need A Marriage Counselor


"Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."
Psalm 119:24 NIV

"I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. And I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your precepts."

Psalm 119:44-45 AMP

Meeting with my Marriage Counselor on a daily basis is key to all relationships in my life, especially my marriage. Meeting with our Bridegroom in God's Word every day is not optional, it is imperative. "I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word." Psalm 119:16

I need and require His Word and the life and wisdom that comes it. "You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word]." Psalm 27:8 (AMP)

While at times it is healthy and necessary for couples to meet with a professional, biblically-based counselor, we all have access to God's Word. His precepts are our counselors. Christians have the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them and to understand the scriptures. "Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Luke 24:45

As I steep my heart and my mind in God's Word, He gives me the grace, humility and heavenly wisdom I need. Look at the glorious and palpable wisdom we receive from Him: "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." James 3:17

Each time we open God's Word, there is heart and life application. His Word is an endless treasure of truth and wisdom. Just look at one small but mighty passage. If we all lived this way, especially in our marriage, imagine the fruit! Philippians 2:3-7 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant..." Wow. Just try one part of that verse...do NOTHING out of selfish ambition....consider others better than yourself.....look to the interest of others.....have the same attitude of Christ Jesus, taking the very nature of a servant. That's a lot to chew on....and a lot to live out in our lives and marriages!


As couples yield their hearts to the Holy Spirit, drink in His Word and obey His commands, marriages thrive. Marriages survive the dry times. Marriages bring forth fruit for His glory and purposes. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

Open His Word today and ask the Lord to penetrate your heart. Invite your spouse to join you. Ask Him to give you wisdom and to bear fruit in your marriage as you yield to Him. "Each time we open God's Word, whether in private or public settings, it should be with the intent of allowing the Word to break us. The same Word that serves to break us will then become a balm to heal our hearts and a light to guide our footsteps in the pathway of humility." - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." John 6:63

Sharon


7 comments:

Unknown said...

AMEN!

Beautifully written and said!

Hugs - Jill

Sonya Lee Thompson said...

This is powerful! I loved your use of scriptures throughout. All truth here!

Sandy said...

God has always been our Marriage Counselor, too. Thank you so much for this post!

Kelly said...

Very well written, Sharon, and so true! The title is very catchy as well!

Edie said...

Excellent reminder Sharon! Thanks for this!

Therapy Directory said...

Hi


This is a very good and very important post.


Thanks ! Keep Writing

Reaching Flood Stage said...

It's like the 3-strand cord. Me, my husband, and "MY Marriage Counselor"-God. Right on!