What Do I Want My Marriage to Look Like? Pg 13

One thing I can enjoy is a good romantic story. Last Summer I read some sweet Christian romance stories. I dove into the stories and barely stopped to feed the kids while I was enjoying the perfect romantic relationships. After a few weeks of this I remember feeling frustrated with my husband over something and thinking why can't he be more like the men in all those stories? They always know the right thing to say and do, were incredibly romantic and let's not forget rugged and handsome. It dawned on me then that the author I had been reading so much of was a woman. My perfect leading man was indeed created by a woman's own fantasy.

I set aside my romance novels then realizing that even Christian romance novels can be detrimental to keeping realistic expectations in my own marriage.

We all have our own fantasies and dreams of the ideal man and marriage but are they realistic?

This is what God's expectation for us is in any relationship:

Philippians 2:3-4 Good News Translation

Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own.

God's word reveals that my focus is not to be on what the other person does or does not do, but rather what I am supposed to do.

• Give up being motivated by how am I going to get what I want.
• Act in a manner that displays humility.
• Think of my husband as more important than myself.
• Look out for his needs.

Start today by confessing to God where you have put yourself first. Next ask him to help you relinquish your own needs and give those up to Him. Finally ask Him to help you focus on meeting your husbands needs so that perhaps he may take notice and even feel lucky to have you as his wife.

Lord,

I confess that most of the time I am more worried about my own needs those of my husband. I ask that you would help me to lay my worries down and at your feet and trust you to take care of me. Give me an attitude of humility rather than entitlement when it comes to my marriage and my husband. Father, give me eyes to see the needs of my husband that I can meet.