Crucified for Lent

Crucified for Lent

By Carri Pratt

I really love my husband.  I did not fully realize how deeply I loved my husband until I decided to crucify my past hurts and my selfishness to the cross in honor of the lent season.  I decided this year rather than just giving up sweets I would give up anger and frustration towards my spouse as well.  Easier said then done. 

I also made a vow to serve my husband in some way every day as Jesus served others.  One night when he arrived home from work I walked over to him, plopped a pillow down in front of him, took off his shoes and began to massage his feet (probably his favorite act of service).  He looked at me in disbelief and asked me why I was doing this and I replied, “because I love you.”  It was an incredible moment between us.

I continued to pray that God would strengthen me and do this through me.  I prayed that God would give me His love for my husband and that I would have a burning desire for him.

It is absolutely remarkable the feelings and turmoil I have been through in such a short amount of time.  I have experienced immense vulnerability, paranoid thoughts of him having an affair and leaving me, magical moments of bliss, renewed memories of when we first met, and most pleasantly surprising is a heated passion behind closed doors.  (my friends refer to this as an additional fruit of the spirit “passion fruit”)

The only way I can make sense out of this is that I am finally following God’s design for marriage.  I am not living just for myself but also for my husband while being obedient to Jesus Christ.  Paul stated it this way, “and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 HCSB  If Christ did that for me, then surely I can do that for my husband.

I could not have imagined the blissful feelings within my heart towards my man.  “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.”  Psalm 37:4 NLT 

Challenge:  Trust that God’s ways are best and take a chance that the result will be your heart’s desire.