The higher your expectations, the more likely your spouse will fail you and cause you frustration. If a wife expects her husband to always be on time, clean up after himself and understand all her needs, she will likely live most of her married life in constant disappointment. But if she gets realistic and understands that he's human, forgetful and sometimes thoughtless, then she will be more delighted when he is responsible, loving and kind.
So there needs to be a transition in your thinking. You must choose to live by encouragement rather than by expectations. Love puts the focus on personal responsibility and improving yourself rather than on demanding more from others.
How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ~Matthew 7:4-5
Are you a speck inspector???
Encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble. ~Isaiah 35:3
Encourage one another and build up one another...Encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (EVERYONE!) ~1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14
TODAY'S DARE
ELIMINATE THE POISON OF UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR HOME. THINK OF ONE AREA WHERE YOUR SPOUSE HAS TOLD YOU YOU'RE EXPECTING TOO MUCH, AND TELL THEM YOU'RE SORRY FOR BEING SO HARD ON THEM ABOUT IT. PROMISE THEM YOU'LL SEEK TO UNDERSTAND, AND ASSURE THEM OF YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. ~Hebrews 10:24
1 comment:
good stuff as always...
I am continuing (joyfully) to pray for your marriage... thank you for allowing us to follow along with you!
our PWOC president explained enCOURAGEment as "imparting courage" I think it is a beautiful description... even more so when I think about it in terms of marriage!
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