Love is the Catalyst to Change

As I was browsing through the newsfeed on facebook, a post from an old high school friend caught my attention and my heart. It is from Tim Keller's recently released book, Meaning of Marriage:

"Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace."

Sometimes God will show you truth about a struggle your spouse is experiencing through revelation. However, it is extremely important how you handle divine revelation. If it is not applied through God's love and timing, then it will start and end with the flesh. If you have a spirit of frustration in your marriage, it is because you have stepped out of bounds. One of my favorite quotes is by Billy Graham, "It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and my job to love."

Remember, you cannot change your spouse simply because you did not create your spouse. However, God can use you as a catalyst to change only to the degree that you love. This is because God, our Creator IS love. Love has the capacity to tear down walls that the enemy has erected, and shine light into the darkest places in our hearts. What is so amazing about love is that it has a multiplicative effect. As you love your spouse through his/her weaknesses, God will strengthen your own weaknesses through His love for you. The result is a beautiful picture of unity--two broken hearts welded and molded into our Heavenly Father's heart. As God heals and seals the brokenness, your marriage will become a new vessel that God can fill with His manifest promises.

~Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV) "But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand."

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