Grace in Marriage
(Our 2nd guest blogger!)
Grace In Marriage
I have so many flaws. Sometimes I forget. I don’t forget that I HAVE flaws, but I forget my husband sees them on a regular basis, especially when I grow comfortable just being myself in our home, and in our marriage.
I forget, he sees me at my worst. My worst physically, and my worst emotionally.
I forget that I don’t hide things I hid when we were dating. He sees me do all the daily mundane things that aren’t so pretty. And he hears me vent my feelings, and what has transpired in my relationships.
Somehow, he still finds me attractive.
That’s grace!
My husband offers me grace on my “not-so-attractive” days. He sets aside the image of me laying sick in bed, in my ugly flannel pajamas. In his vision he still sees the woman who dresses up to go out to dinner, or to church. Grace.
It is so easy for a husband and a wife to point out each other’s flaws and inadequacies. As if WE have it all together! For we most certainly, do not.
It’s amazing when you can extend grace to your spouse for messing up, not looking so perfect, not acting so perfect— whatever it is – we feel more loving towards them! For our heart will follow our actions, and out of our heart, our actions are extended.
It’s a circle. It’s a choice.
I don’t see how marriage can survive without grace. You have two flawed people living together. Your messes and mistakes are easy to see. So hard to hide. And they repeat, as if they are on “rinse-cycle.”
We are human. And in that very humanness, we are hard on one another. We expect things out of those we love, that we don’t always offer up ourselves. We forget that we have dealt with that same misstep, same “oops,” on so many occasions.
Grace is the ingredient that recharges a stumbling marriage. It is the glue that holds together a marriage tearing at the seams, and it is the wind that keeps one sailing smoothly.
Grace.
In what ways can you extend grace to your spouse today? In what ways, has he/she extended grace to you, in the last few days?
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
Think on it. Ponder and reflect. Learn. Grow.
And love.
Dionna Sanchez is a freelance writer/blogger, and social media manager, who is still learning to give grace in her marriage. You can visit her blog at http://beautyinthestorm.com or find her on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/dionnasanchezwriter