I fully intended to post this last night, but I ran out of time. I had the chance to help a friend by proofreading a research paper. I was happy to do it and enjoyed it, but let the record show I am so thankful I'm done with research papers. I couldn't remember how bibliographies were supposed to look, and quite frankly, the mere sight of one made me shiver. I love my post-college life!
Anyway, last week I told you about my praying on the run method of counting laps in the gym. I have the quote and prayer from the second card for you today:
"I learned how to wait patiently for my husband to become the man God had designed him to be. It didn't happen the way I would have planned, without any difficulties, but the result was far more than I could have imagined." - Suzi McDuffee
My prayer goal: Patience and surrender to allow God to mold each of us in His way.
As you might imagine, the words "wait patiently" sealed my fate. I'm not particularly gifted with either. Though I am not fond of publicly airing my shortcomings, I will admit that in college, this was an issue in my relationship. I had mentally crafted the person I wanted my boyfriend to be, and I left no room for him to have an opinion or for God to do any work. I tried to boss them both around, and in the end, the relationship failed. It might have failed anyway, but I've often wondered...if I'd been wiser about this, could it at least have been more productive...or left both of us with growth to show for the time we'd spent together?
When I saw Suzi's words, I knew I had to make them part of my prayer for the someday relationship, because I do not want to make that mistake again. Mr. Missing, wherever he is, is not mine to mold. God has a plan for his life just like He has a plan for mine, and the work needs to be left up to God's hand and God's timing. (ouch.)
Very little in my life has happened the way I would have planned, but I do have to say it's turning out better than I imagined it could. Why would the same not be true for my husband?
And on the flip side, this is the same sort of courtesy I hope my husband extends to me...being patient with God to work in me. Surrendering me to God's choices.
Patience can't be taught, but I'm open to any suggestions on surviving it!
2 hours ago
4 comments:
Bekah - I so agree on the college papers. I love being able to write what I want to write! :-)
Your second prayer card is a great one. When I met my now-husband, I thought he was perfect. And he was...perfect for me...but he wasn't *perfect* perfect. I've had to control my need to control him at times and trust that God will work on his weaknesses the same way He does with me.
Hey you made me think....as a control freak, I just want to know why I can't be satisfied to control my need to control!! I mean shouldn't that do it for me? Still gives me control over something! :)
If only husbands were the only people in our lives that we thought WE had the responsibility to mold. This lesson applies to SO many other relationships as well! I may need a tattoo on my forhead that reads, "Lord, change ME!" (backwards, of course, so that I could read it when I look in the mirror)
Julie, that makes me remember the song I learned the day Steve and Annie Chapman did a marriage seminar at church - they had this whole little chorus called "Change me, Lord." Before they sang it, they joked about how people usually want to change the words to "Change him, Lord." LOL. Great song, though. Loved the lyrics.
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