Exodus 6:7-9(NLT)
7 I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. 8 I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’”
9 So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.
Discouragement is a very devastating reality, and when it becomes a fixture in your significant relationship, it is even more heartbreaking. A close relative was thirty-one years old when she decided to divorce her husband. They were married for only a few years but had been together for most of their adult lives. Many of their friends thought they’d be together forever, and they had weathered a lot of storms, but she felt divorce at the time was the only option. Her husband wanted to seek couple’s therapy, but after only one session, she felt they had waited too long to seek guidance. Ultimately, they both agreed that one of the major reasons for the break-down in their marriage was spiritual immaturity, and this caused a lack of trust and forgiveness, and a refusal to really listen to one another.
Most couples would agree that healthy communication is essential to any relationship because it enhances intimacy and understanding between partners. Women typically feel closer to their spouses when they feel free to share their thoughts and feelings. Many men, on the other hand, conform to what society considers to be masculine. Generally, the culture sees being in control of one’s emotions, not showing vulnerability, and a competitive spirit as identifiable qualities of a male. In reality, men and women share more in common than they do differences. Still, as women, we have to acknowledge that we put men in a certain category. We then form our expectations about how they should and shouldn’t act based on the norms we bought into. We might relegate men in general as being inexpressive with their feelings, and not recognize that we haven’t learn to create an environment where they feel free to do so.
In Exodus 6, Moses delivered the Word of the Lord to God’s people and told them about God’s promise to give them their own land. This was an extraordinary promise that God made to them, and it demonstrated His provision and care. Heavenly Father makes the same promise to us. One of the ways that He provides for families is through the union of marriage. We have somehow misunderstood His plan here. He wants two people to forge a union that lasts, and when they continually and consistently request and allow His intervention, He will work within their hearts. This takes relentless humility on our parts. One of the reasons we see such a deficit in successful marital unions is because of the absence of this humility. It’s a refusal to acknowledge that the power of God through Jesus Christ can save a marriage.
In the Old Testament, we often see an absence of humility in God’s people. In Exodus 6:7-9, when Moses delivered God’s promise to them, instead of an awesome appreciation for His promise, provision, and power, they acquiesced to fear and doubt. They refused to listen. This is a repeat of Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience. They doubted God and their spirits were broken because of 400 years of slavery under the tyranny of Egyptian taskmasters. They were a very stubborn and hardhearted people, and their disobedience to the commandments of God kept them enslaved. Even after Moses delivered God’s Word, they were not moved to obey.
Life is a series of choices, and in those choices, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must reject the disobedient actions of Adam and Eve. We must trust God, and it can’t be a little bit here and a little bit there. We must be sold out to the reality that God is KING, His Word is true, and His Word works! The Word of God can never take a back seat to our ways, and it is never outdated. God’s law is the preeminent authority, and through it we can live victoriously in Christ.
Bitterness and stubbornness can cause a lot of dysfunction in relationships, especially in a marriage. If humility isn’t present, it’s an incredible challenge, one in which the couple isn’t giving God the room to help them. When someone isn’t willing to listen to you when you’re trying to interject good Godly counsel, it’s possible they’re hesitant because of an old wound. You might have unknowingly added to it. So, the words you speak might be true and sound, but they’re not landing. Only God can make the difference and usher in true healing and deliverance. This is one of the reasons it is so important to be prepared for marriage by spending quality time in prayer and making this a habit pattern in your life.
As I’ve grown in spiritual maturity, one of the many truths I’ve learned over the years is that it’s never about the other person, it’s always about our intimate and personal relationship with God. Let God’s love win, and never allow discouragement over difficulties in the relationship to steal the blessing that Heavenly Father has given you. Trust Him and lean on Him with your whole heart. When God is prioritized above all else, He causes all things to work together for His children, and this is especially true in our marriages. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Don’t Let Discouragement Win” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.