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Short and Sweet:Tips for living the abundant life |
Is Marriage Going the Way of the Dinosaur??
My wife and I just celebrated our 21st Wedding Anniversary. Given the fact that I am only 43, I recently realized that I have almost spent as much time being married as I previously spent being single. Reflecting on what makes a marriage work, I was struck by how vital is the gift of forgiveness. My wife, by the way, is very gifted at forgiving, probably because I have given her so much practice. My wife is also very patient and persevering, as I have noticed that often in our marriage, it has taken me a while to really grow and change. The fact that she never gives up on me, and that she keeps on believing the best for me, is a wonderful gift indeed.I recently read a fascinating book entitled ‘Men & Women: Enjoying
the Differences’ by the best-selling author Dr. Larry Crabb. He commented
that ‘self-centered living is the real culprit in marriages with problems.
Other-centered living is the answer.’ Many of us enter marriage thinking
that our spouse will meet our deepest needs. We then feel cheated
when they don’t, and begin to close our hearts. How many of us enter
marriage with the view that we are there to serve our spouse? How
many of us see marriage as a way of serving God? A marriage where
both partners are committed to serving one another, to ‘washing one another’s
feet’ is a marriage in which self-centeredness gets sidelined. What
will it take, says Dr. Crabb, to realize that our selfishness is without
excuse and that our first job, in our friendships and marriages, is to
recognize our selfishness and learn how we can change?
Why is it that selfishness is so hard to really change? Click
to find out more.
Refill?
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