so, i am really starting to enjoy these dares. in fact, i look forward to learning something else about love with each new dare! i have to admit, i have already done today's dare, and it was so easy! i am so proud of all that my husband accomplishes, and it is easy to enjoy his successes! i know that that is because of God working in our marriage and growing us in His grace and love.
i don't have much to say about today's dare; i have just a few thoughts. the book talks about 2 different types of jealousy. there is a righteous jealousy and then there is envy. Deuteronomy 4:24 states, "the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." He does not envy us (obviously there is NOTHING for him to envy about us!), but He desires our attention and our focus; our love and our commitment. James talks about envy leading to "fighting, quarreling, and every evil thing" (James 3:16, 4:1-2). guard your heart from the envious kind of jealousy. whether it is a friend, co-worker, or especially your spouse, keep your heart from envy which can lead to bitterness and not being content. let's be our spouse's number one supporter today!
"It is time to let love, humility, and gratefulness destroy any jealousy that springs up in your heart. It's time to let your mate's successes draw you closer together and give you greater opportunities to show genuine love" (Love Dare, 38).
now i'd like to shift focus for a moment on something that God has been teaching me. we are doing a study at my church (don't know if i mentioned this already) entitled "How People Change." it is an excellent study on the work of sanctification in our lives. every moment, we are becoming more and more like Christ. something the book emphasizes is community; having a circle of people you can lean on and count on to help you through life's trials. now, i have people in my life that i can pour out my heart to and know that they will listen and also be honest with me. i have my husband, my family, and a small circle of the bestest friends ever! but, i am also starting to open up my eyes to other hurting hearts. i want to be aware of those around me who need help. we need to be open with each other, girls! i just had a great talk with a friend the other day about things we were both struggling with in our marriages, and we were able to lift each other up and also know how to pray for each other. God uses people to make us more like Him! how amazing is that! He has given us a community of believers to strengthen us and us to them. . . when we neglect to take advantage of this community, we are missing out on SO much. trust me - i know. now that i have started to open up to people, they are open with me, and the blessings are abundant! so, OPEN UP! you don't have to suffer silently. we are ALL going through problems, and most likely all of your friend's marriages are struggling in some way. we don't have to pretend we have it all together. we don't.
the book, "How People Change" says, "Change is something God intends his people to experience together. It's a corporate goal. What God does in individuals is part of a larger story of redemption that involves all of God's people through the ages. You, Joe, and every other believer are already part of the story and part of the family. That is the context in which personal change takes place. Change within community is counter intuitive to the way we often think, but Scripture clearly presents it as God's way of making us more like Christ" (page 66).
so, take advantage of your church family. be there whenever you can to get to know your fellow brothers and sisters. you can't get to know them if you are only with them on Sunday mornings for a few hours! share your heart today with someone. love one another, and bear each other's burdens, so that we can help each other become more like Him!
Oh, and today's dare :)
"Determine to become your spouse's biggest fan and reject and thoughts of jealousy. To help set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements, take yesterday's list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it. Then share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed."
P.S. If you feel that anyone could benefit from this blog, please feel free to share it!
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