As we’ve wrapped up our marriage night and look forward to our next one in June, I thought I’d make some comments on marriage. I’m currently reading Sacred Marriage , by Gary Thomas. In it, Thomas explains that the ultimate reason for marriage is not to make us happy, but to accomplish the purpose of God in our lives to make us holy and to glorify His name. This statement might seem somewhat like a wet blanket, but we need to remember two things. First, as we view our marriages more and more as tools for becoming holy, we will become more happy in our marriages. Second, having a higher view of marriage than simply for our happiness will help marriages to endure the stormy blasts of life. Here’s an excerpt from Thomas’ book, I hope you enjoy!
To spiritually benefit from marriage, we have to be honest. We have to look at our disappointments, own up to our ugly attitudes, and confront our selfishness. We also have to rid ourselves of the notion that the difficulties of marriage can be overcome if we simply pray harder or learn a few simple principles. Most of us have discovered that these “simple steps” work only on a superficial level. Why is this? Because there’s a deeper question that needs to be addressed beyond how we can “improve” our marriage: What if God didn’t design marriage to be “easier”? What if God had an end in mind that went beyond our happiness, our comfort, and our desire to be infatuated and happy as if the world were a perfect place? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? What if, as de Sales hints, we are to accept the “bitter juice” because out of it we may learn to draw the resources we need with which to make “the honey of a holy life”?
Leave a comment