Marriage's Death Row

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Gal 5:19-21 NLT

We've all been there at one time or another. Well, most of us have, anyway. There are times in marriage when the environment could be considered hostile.

 One spouse has a bad day and goes off without thinking on the unsuspecting other. Someone fails to complete a task requested of them, and the marital climate becomes noticeably more cold.

 One would hope that, with maturity, we would develop and grow into the ability to communicate effectively without losing control of our emotions. However, there would be few of us, if any, that could honestly say that we have never blown it and became hostile in the past.

 The word hostility ("hatred" in the New International Version of the Bible) means a hostile state, condition, or attitude; enmity; antagonism; unfriendliness. - (Websters)

 The original word, used in this passage comes from a root word meaning to hate passively or actively. Whoa! Wait a minute - some of us could be in serious trouble here.

 Passive hatred could be displayed in our marriage by not showing love in our attitude. Uh-Oh! So, if we employ the silent treatment, stiffen in an embrace or if we have a uncaring demeanor towards our spouse - we are hating them and our matrimonial environment becomes filled with hostility. Yikes!

 Enough of those scenarios, over time, can lead to active hatred and hostility causing verbal, emotional and physical attacks that can and will destroy a marriage.

 What if we, as couples, actively guarded ourselves against the temptation to passively hate one another. We would do well to place hostility and hatred on Marriage's Death Row by renewing our commitment to love each other in thought, word, attitude and action.

 Don't let hostility take root in your marriage. Pray with your spouse, ask the Lord to help you to grow your marriage - a marriage free from hatred, passive or active.

For Marriages & Families,

Dave