Feb. 4, 2007 - What Compels You?
This morning at church, our class teacher had us looking at a verse in 2 Corinthians. Yes, I was paying attention. However, my eyes roamed over to some verses I had marked some time ago:
2 Corinthians 5:11-15 (NIV) Here's a portion: "For Christ's love compels us....He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
I had written the definition of compel in the margin: "to urge or drive forcefully or irresistably; to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure".
This was a reminder to myself in an area that I needed reminding on! My husband. I want to be compelled to be his wife. When I say "to be his wife", I'm not talking about whether or not to stay married to him but rather to be the kind of wife to Jim that God expects of me.
My husband is what Debi Pearl refers to as a "Command Man". Jim prefers to make and break rules. He's not keen on following rules. He's an all or nothing kind of person. He takes very little time to make up his mind on something and when he does there is no swaying or stopping him. I am so opposite! I analyze things so much that I miss out on some great opportunities. I'm a rule follower, sometimes to my own detriment! We try not to let these differences be a source of conflict and tension - cause you know they can be and they sometimes are.
Jim expects a lot out of me. Sometimes I get tired of trying to be super woman for him. I just can't seem to achieve it all and I begin to have an attitude toward him. Next, the joy is gone in being his wife. It helps me to remember who it is that I am really serving. By serving Jim, I am serving God. By not serving Jim, I am not serving God. That's just the way it is but my sin nature often tells me otherwise - when I take my focus on why I serve Jim.
I want to love God and desire to serve Him so much that I am simply compelled to serve Jim.
Lest you think that I am miserable being married to Jim, quite contrary! He is so good for me. Jim is good at prodding me along and I hope that I am good for bringing him some gentleness and thoughtfulness. Even though I sometimes don't like it, I do really need his decisiveness and direction.
I want to be compelled to pick up and clean up the messes Jim leaves throughout the house (he's messy). Compelled to keep busy in the kitchen (he's constantly eating!). Compelled to be frugal and wise with the money Jim works so hard for (he lets me stay home with the kids). Compelled to keep him stocked with clean, pressed clothes. You know the sorts of things. The list goes on and on.
But it's my heart towards God that determines the level of joy and the attitude with which I do these things. Again, I want to love God and desire to serve Him so much that I am simply compelled to serve Jim.
Comments
Feb. 4, 2007 - <i>Untitled Comment</i>
Posted by Tracy
Marriages are usually between couples from opposite sides of the spectrum with personalities. My husband and I are also very different, he is go, go, go, I am more layed back. he needs calming, I need pushing to keep going, meeting in the middle balances it out. It's finding our way to the middle that can get messy and without God I would say quite impossible. I have been the same many times, when I take my eyes off God they go straight to poor me, and what I have to do and blah, blah and before you know it strife is running the home. It's been a tough one for me over the years because I don't go down with out a fight, but I am totally convinced now God is right :) and I just make a mess of things when I go off on my own agenda to change things.
Tracy
Edited by Tracy on Feb. 5, 2007 at 2:56 AM
