Feelings and Emotions

Feelings and emotions--very powerful forces that if left out of control, will always cause more bad than good.  I guess it's good that we have them.  They separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom.  However, the older I get, the more I realize that feelings and emotions are highly overrated.  They are unreliable and inconsistent.  They can prevent us from seeing the world as it truly is.  They can actually make us see and believe things about ourselves and others that aren't even there or overlook things that are!  When left to their own devices, feelings and emotions can actually cause us to loose our minds and eventually tear our relationships completely apart.

If our marriages are going to be successful, feelings and emotions must be kept in control.  As Christian wives, we must relate to our husbands based on God's Word and the knowledge of who our husbands are.  We MUST know our husbands and this knowledge must be based in truth.  Truth never changes; it is always true.  Feelings and emotions change, therefore they cannot be seen as truth.  God's word is true.  

So, what does God's word say about how we are to relate to our husbands?  Ephesians 5:33, in the amplified version reads...

 However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. 

The institute of marriage was created by God and it is the only relationship in the earth that is compared to Christ's relationship with the church!  That says to me that how I relate to my husband should resemble, as close as possible, the way Christ relates to me.  Jesus gave his life for me, so then how can I give my life for my husband?  How can I actualize Ephesians 5:33?  This verse of scripture gives us a checklist.  There are 10 different ways we should be relating to our husbands.  These things should be done regardless of the actions of our husbands and regardless of how we feel.  How do I know that?  Because while we were yet in sin, Christ died for us--you and me and I'm positive He didn't feel like it!!!  The only way that we can ever begin to show our gratitude for what He did for us is to carry out His will here in the earth; in our marriages.

So, how many things on that list have you done today?  this week?  this month?

WE have some work to do ladies!!!

JDC