LET HIM LEAD

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22

Oh how this verse can cause such an uproar….to our culture….and to our own hearts! But it always reminds me that the Lord knows how to help us make life work best….make marriage work best.

I recently heard this in the ballet studio relating to our ballet technique….when you dance beautifully and correctly….it works.

Of course I’m going to apply this to real life! :) When you apply God’ Word to your life….life works. I’m not saying it will be easy or problem free…but life works better when we apply God’s Word and God’s way.

I am so thankful to be married to my high school sweetheart. We dated for a very LONG five and a half years before tying the knot. We have now been married for a little over twelve years. (ahhh…I think that’s right!) Marriage is figuring out how to put the other person first. Marriage becomes a tool to acknowledging all the mucky stuff in my own heart and letting God shape my heart. But at the same time, I am reminded that marriage is designed by God for our enjoyment!

“Enjoy life with your wife.” Ecclesiastes 9:9

Sometimes in the busyness of life in the daily grind we forget that marriage is for our enjoyment! I am so thankful for this gift called marriage…when I really stop and think about it….wow. I love the fancy things of marriage: the actual engagement, wedding showers, the wedding itself, and of course the honeymoon….but now it’s the simple things that bless my heart:

• Raising our boys together and laughing and smiling together at the funny things they do and say
• Talking about our day, Ranger game in the background
• Texting each other throughout the day just to check in
• Date nights to nothing fancy restaurants, browsing bookshelves, and picking up ice cream
• Cheering on our kiddos at their games
• Talking my husband’s ear off about my dreams and listening to his
• Watching our favorite shows together
• Just the simplicity of being together….his company

My favorite thing about marriage is that it’s God’s design. And I have learned that as a wife, I can TRUST God by letting my husband lead. But I have to give my husband space to lead, and when I let my husband lead….we work better. Does this mean I never speak up or give my opinion? Not a bit. But letting our husbands lead gives them a treasure that influences their souls more than words….it gives them honor and respect. It blesses them more than we can understand….it’s a soul-deep blessing to them. 

Just like in my relationship with Christ….I often want to jump in and take the lead! But God has designed the husband to lead, and He has done this for our good. Marriage is a perfect picture of God’s love for us…and just like in marriage….we need to let God lead our lives…..life works better when we let Him lead.

And for those of you that are not married yet, and are waiting, hoping, and dreaming of finding that man of your dreams: keep waiting, keep hoping, keep dreaming, and most importantly…keep praying about it. Tell God how hard it is to wait and wonder if that man is out there. This is a dream of your heart….a BIG one! An incredibly important one! Wait on God’s timing. He is intricately working out the details behind the scenes. God has a perfect plan for you. Hang in there and trust, trust, trust. 

Prayer: “Dear Lord, I hold my marriage (or my dreams of marriage) up in prayer to You. Thank You for designing my husband to lead. Help me let him lead and help me let YOU lead my life.”