| Many couples get married with the idea that their | | | | minister means to serve. You must forget about |
| spouse is responsible for making them happy. | | | | what your spouse is and is not doing, and do |
| Unfortunately, when the other spouse fails to live | | | | what your Heavenly Father requires of you. Start |
| up to their expectations, a breakdown in the | | | | ministering to your mate today by demonstrating |
| marriage begins. "Well, they're supposed to make | | | | the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, |
| me happy, aren't they?" To some degree you're | | | | kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and |
| correct. But the problem comes in when you | | | | self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Minister to them |
| expect them to make you happy. It's your | | | | when they've gotten on your last nerve, minister |
| expectations of the other person that pushes the | | | | to them, when you've had it up to here. Minister |
| demolition ball into motion. | | | | to them when your flesh is screaming they don't |
| If each spouse would instead lay down their | | | | deserve you. |
| expectations of what they want out of marriage, | | | | "But you don't know my spouse", you say. Your |
| and take on the mind set of "I'm going to make | | | | right, I don't know your spouse but I do know |
| my mate happy even if it's not reciprocated", | | | | that love covers a multitude of sins. I also know |
| then perhaps marriage success stories would out | | | | that if you took this approach, it would please |
| number the increasing divorce rate among | | | | your Heavenly Father. Now, isn't that what it's all |
| Christians. | | | | about? Pleasing your Heavenly Father. And all this |
| Look at it this way, Christian marriage is a | | | | time you thought it was about you. |
| ministry and you are the minister. The word | | | | |