god wants women to be happy in marriage
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7/28/2019 God Wants Women to Be Happy in Marriage
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God wants women to be happy in marriageI read this verse yesterday for my Every Old Testament Women project:
If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one ye
is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. Deuteronomy 24:5
It would seem that the happiness of wives is important to God. So much so, he made a law to help wive
be happy in their first year of marriage. This law effectively meant that the husband’s top priority was his
wife’s happiness during their first 12 months together.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul simply assumes that a married man will be concerned with
pleasing his wife, and vice versa (1 Cor 7:33-34). [More about Paul's teachings on marriage in 1
Corinthians 7 here.]
Not everyone, though, seems to think that God wants women to be happy in marriage. Too often I have
heard comments from women who seem to think that God’s will is that they suffer in marriage.[1] And
sadly, I know too many women who do suffer, even when their husbands are professing Christians.
Good marriages can be hard work and take lots of patience and grace. And marriages can take a
pounding from the stresses and strains of various influences such as finances, health, work, and otherrelationships, etc. Sometimes life will take us and our marriages into difficult and painful places; but in th
centre of the trials and storms, there can be peace, comfort, support, and even happiness. Marriage
should be a safe haven and sanctuary.
If both – husband and wife – are preferring the other, honouring the other and generally trying to follow
Jesus’ example of selflessness, grace and love, then both can be happy, and periods of suffering will be
rare (Php 2:3-5). I know this from personal experience. My husband and I are very happy together.
Unhappiness and suffering occurs when there is selfishness and a lack of real love from one or both
partners, especially if this selfishness is prolonged and habitual, rather than an occasional lapse.
Love should be the defining trait of our character and our relationships; love is the command of Jesus
(John 13:34-35). The Apostle Paul also emphasised love and gave us a handy check list to see if we ar
truly living and acting in love: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Galatians 5:22-23 is another useful list that we can use to see how we are going in our journey towards
Christ-likeness, led by the Holy Spirit. Love is at the top of this list, closely followed by joy; and then
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Is your character and your
marriage marked by these fruit of the Spirit?
If love is our motive and our goal we will relieve suffering and not cause it.My prayer is that more Christian marriages will be marked by real love, and mutual honour and
consideration. And that marriage will be a source of comfort and joy even in terrible times. Suffering
should not be the norm in Christian marriage.
Endnote
[1] I recently read this comment from a woman who believes that suffering is a normal part of marriage for wives. I have come across this
sentiment several times. Jesus was sacrificially selfless, but he was not a victim. Wives should not suffer unnecessarily because they thin
is God’s will. Some may see suffering in marriage as an act of piety; I see it as a wasted life. This begs the question: What do you do if yo
have a selfish, demanding or insensitive husband or wife? Putting up with immature or bad behaviour does not do your spouse any favour
But dealing with it requires wisdom, grace and prayer; and possibly support from your church family. Putting up with abuse is rarely the rig
thing to do. If we love our husband or wife we will want them to become more Christ-like, and allowing any form of abuse to go unchecked
hamper their spiritual growth (cf 1 Peter 3:7).
7/28/2019 God Wants Women to Be Happy in Marriage
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Recommended Reading: Hard versus Bad. Which Marriage is Your? here.