Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Entrusted Principle

How do I help a friend when her husband is acting like a snake with reptile dysfunction?

Just thinking of murder isn’t illegal ….. No, no, no……… that doesn’t lead down the right path!  Just as I was about to give up on this issue for now my computer dinged.  It does that when an e-mail comes in.  No time to check it now – I need to focus - back to staring at my page while God works.  Hummm 10 minutes, nothing!  20 minutes, more nothing!  Ok, 45 minutes and a whole lot of nothing!  I’ve either got writers block or my heart ears are plugged.  Off to the pile of unfinished devotionals for ya! Bye!!!

Hello, I’m retrieving my tossed devotional because I just read the best advice ever in Oz Hillman’s devotional.  It was one of those, “pop me in the middle of my head, I could have had a V-8” moments.  Not new but just said in such a way that really hit home with me. 

A woman of faith was struggling with a non-believing husband who wanted to make a large purchase.  They could not afford such an expense and it would wreck havoc with their finances.  She was completely opposed  to her husband’s plan yet wanted to be God’s woman in the heart of the situation.  She brought her dilemma to her Home Life group for their counsel.

Someone said, "You really only have a few options if you adhere to the principle that God has entrusted the man as the leader in the home. God has placed you under the umbrella of His protection as well as your husband. There are times when he will not make the right decision. Does that mean God is not protecting you? No. There may be several things working here. God may be testing your own obedience to this principle. He may use you to open up your husband's spiritual life due to your obedience and submissive spirit. Your obedience may cost your family something, but it will be beneficial in the long term. Your alternative is to rebel and pay him back for his decision by withholding your love from him, which is often what a wife does in this situation. It becomes a vicious circle of paybacks. My suggestion is to tell your husband how you feel about his decision and the impact you feel it will have on you and your family. If he still wants to make the purchase, you must let him do it and support him. What happens next will rest in God's hand as your ultimate protector."

A few weeks later the lady returned to her Home Life group. "I have some wonderful news. We did make the purchase. However, we were able to make it in such a way that we did not go into debt and I was able to support my husband. I have already seen a change in his attitude toward me by the way I responded to him in this. It has been a real lesson for me. I see him much more open to spiritual things since I made this decision and supported him, even though I disagreed with it." "Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of more than 10 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org"

A pearl to string: Oz stated that God has made man and woman equal in His sight. Yet He has given each a different role to play in marriage. Husbands must answer to God for their leadership in the home. They will be judged for that leadership. When a wife submits to that leadership, God protects her from wrong decisions of that husband, although sometimes it may not appear that way at first.  You can trust God to protect you in your decisions that are made in obedience to His Word.

The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Trusting in His Word,
                            Lyndi

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