Don’t Lose Heart

As each new year rings in, it is one more year that your marriage has continued to grow and mature. As married Christians we have the extraordinary honor of watching each other grow spiritually and watching our inner selves become more renewed day by day while our outer selves decay. How is it that both things can happen simultaneously? It’s an adventure in irony, made possible by the gospel, the only real treasure in our brittle jars of clay. From an earthly standpoint, as we age, our bodies are in worse shape than ever. Our minds are fading day by day, our bodies are failing us more and more, and it keeps on this trajectory until we go home to be with the Lord. Is there any comfort we can take in this irony? Paul says, For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Corinthians 4: 11-12.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Paul reminds us to not lose heart and that these troubles that we face are momentary. When you are dealing with troubles in your marriage, it doesn’t feel momentary, after all, aren’t you supposed to stay married until death do you part? Will the day come when God asks us to suffer with a spouse, to love and care for them through a trial?

Remember that even our trials in this life are momentary. Remember when Jesus was hanging on the cross listening to the two thieves on either side of Him? Finally one of them realizes who Jesus is, telling the other thief, We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:40-43.
Did you see that, Jesus knew His suffering was temporary and He and this man would both be in heaven shortly? The same is true for us. All the suffering of this life is only temporary and one day we will close our eyes and when we open them again we will be in the presence of the Lord. Marriage in this life is preparing us for the marriage we will be a part of in Heaven. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Our marriages here are an imperfect picture of what we are looking forward to enjoying in an eternal relationship with our savior. No matter what you are going through in your marriage, remember this earthly marriage is flawed and imperfect but one day Christ will return for His bride and we will have a wedding feast like no other. Along with an awesome wedding celebration, we will have a perfect marriage with Christ, so finish the race, don’t lose heart, and keep your eye on the prize (Jesus).