Marriage Monday - Love Dare 17

We can have good friends that we are close to, even best friends.  We may be close to our mother, sister or aunt.  But the most intimate of all our relationships is that with our husband.

We need to feel safe in our marriage.  Safe to the point that we can share anything and everything with our husband without fear.  Admittedly, this is tender territory.  Marriage has unloaded another person's baggage into your life, and yours into theirs.  Both of you have reason to feel embarrassed that this much has been revealed about you to another living soul.  But this is your opportunity to wrap all this private information about them in the protective embrace of your love, and promise to be the one who can best help him deal with it.

Some of these secrets may need correcting.  If your husband confides in your that he has an addiction that may be harmful to his health or character, then the secret may need correcting.  Some of these secrets just need to be accepted.  If your husband confides something to you that is not harmful to his health or character, it may be that he just needed a safe place to share and you should be that for him.

In either case, you and you alone wield the power either to reject your spouse because of this or to welcome them in -warts and all.  When your husband shares with you, you need to listen closely to him.  Let him open up to you without you interrupting him.  Then pray.  Ask God if this is something you need to speak with your husband on about getting help, like speaking together or him alone with your pastor, or if this is one of the times to just accept your mate.

Sisters, we are all imperfect people.  We are all flawed.  Yet God loves and accepts us.  We need to love and accept our husband the same as Christ does for us.

Today's Dare:

Determine to guard your husband's secrets (unless they are dangerous to him or to you) and to pray for him.  Talk with your husband, and resolve to demonstrate love in spite of these issues.  Really listen to him when he shares personal thoughts and struggles with you.  Make him feel safe.

Share your thoughts with us here or over on Facebook.

Sweet Blessings~