Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. JOHN 7:24 It’s so easy for man or a woman to look at her.spouse and say: “He’s orshe sure not very _______.” “He or she doesn’t _______ or _______ or ________.” “I wish I was married to someone more like ________.” But every time you say or even think something along these lines—every time you focus on those inevitable aspects about him or her that are disappointing or negative—you catch him or her in a comparison trap. You forget that God has a plan for your man or wife that is different from the one He has for somebody else’s husband or wife. You ignore the fact that your job is to respect him or her, to be used by God to help reveal that plan in his or her life, whatever it may be. It would have been so easy at times to settle back and say, “I wish he was more like so-and-so,” rather than being content with the one God had given me and helping him or her develop into the person God wanted them to be. There are so many things that ____does well. There are a lot of things he or she doesn’t. But when I’m lasering in on those things he or she doesn’t do quite so well, I’m expecting him or her to be someone he or she’s not. No, not perfect. Neither am I. Nobody is. But I believe that God can change your heart as He does mine when I slip into seeing only the imperfections. The key is recognizing what you are looking at in his or her life and being willing to let God adjust your focus from the negative to the positive. DISCUSS Spend some time encouraging each other right now. I’m sure both of you could use some building up. PRAY Ask God to adjust your view of each other toward something more grateful and positive.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 19:24:40 +0000