This weekend will be the fourth sermon in the On Men Series. My focus will be men and their wives. Here are a few words from Paul D. Tripp’s book, What Did You Expect?:
Enough of pointing the finger. Enough of listening to your inner lawyer defend your cause. Enough of carrying around a record of your spouse’s wrongs. Enough of judging, criticizing, and blaming. Enough of holding the other to a higher standard than the one you hold for yourself. Enough of complaining, arguing, withdrawing, and manipulating. Enough of the self-righteous standoff that never leads to change. Enough of hurt and acrimony. Enough of painting yourself as the victim and your spouse as the criminal. Enough of demanding and entitlement. Enough of threat and guilt. Enough of telling the other how good you are and how thankful she should be to live with a person like you. Enough of going to bed in angry, self-righteous silence. Enough of hyper-vigilantly watching him to see if he is delivering. Enough of riding the roller coaster of her ups and downs. Enough of looking to him to be your personal messiah, satisfying the longings of your heart. Enough.
There is never a day in your marriage when you aren’t called to be willing. There is never a day in your marriage when some personal sacrifice is not needed. There is never a day when you are free from the need to consider the good of your husband or wife. There is never a day when you aren’t called to do what is not reciprocated and to offer what has not been deserved. There is never a day when your marriage can coast along without being infused by this kind of love.
