Garychester.org 11/13/08
I still find marriage both blissful and quite difficult.
Blissful - because I have a wonderful, God loving, God fearing wife with whom to share my life. Because of her, I know I can get through anything.
Quite difficult - because I'm a product of Eden’s Great Fall. And she is, too. So we desire to manage and protect our marriage against the Fall.
I have to strive - under the power of God's Spirit - to carefully select my words to convey to her what I really mean. I also need to not say some things.
The impact of the Fall has recently hit home for us. I have unintentionally devalued, in my wife's view, the value of some of her past accomplishments. I'm truly enormously proud of her. But, that hasn't been her perception due to some recent, unfortunate words from my mouth. (And we know “perception is the reality” when it comes to feelings.)
I was unaware that she had been harboring these feelings for some time. I did become aware during a recent intense conversation between us. Because of the Fall, I realize I had emotionally wounded her. (Hopefully, more of a scratch than a wound. A scratch heals quickly and completely, a wound does not).
It, unfortunately, won't be the last time that either one of us will grapple with the reality of the Fall. But in dealing with it, I count on the biblical truth: Deep love covers a multitude of our sins
(1 Peter 4:8).
So may our love overflow for each other....amidst our struggles against the Fall.
How has the Fall affected your relationships? I'll keep your responses confidential. gary@menwhowin.com
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