Dealing with Turbulence

Read: 2 Corinthians 2

"This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all." 2 Corinthians 2:3

Examine

As Paul launched churches he faced many heart breaks. He visited the church in Corinth and experienced pain from a group of people who were supposed to bring him joy.

Apply:

There are seasons of life when someone who is supposed to cause me joy brings me pain. In these times it feels like a what was designed by God to be a source of life becomes a sour well of water. Security is robbed, peace is destroyed, and comfort is refused when someone close to me hurts me. This is especially the case in my marriage. In this chapter Paul reminds me of three tactics for dealing with this form of pain.

First, I must refuse to come to my wife in sorrow. Satan has a way of creating bad cycles my marriage. Brandy does something that hurts me. Once I am hurt I have a tendency to deal with her in a way that causes the hurt to return to her. It is like we get stuck playing a game of emotional hot potato. If I want to walk in a healthy relationship with my wife then I must learn to not deal with her in sorrow when her choices cause me pain.

Second, I must forgive and comfort her. This part contains two moves. Forgiveness offers release and comfort means that I move towards her. Hurt has a tendency to drive me away from Brandy. I am the one who was hurt so she should offer me comfort; then I will forgive her. That is the way I feel like it should go, but God's ways are not my own. I need to release her and be the first to offer comfort.

Finally, I must reaffirm my love. Love truly is a battlefield. My marriage is my primary earthly relationship. Satan knows that if he can create discord between me and Brandy then he can create discord in every area of my life. When there is strife between the two of us the best thing I can do is reaffirm my commitment to love her as Christ loved the church.

Pray:

Father, the past few weeks have seen no small amount of turbulence in my relationship with Brandy. Satan has been on the prowl and my home has been his primary target. I have become so frustrated at times that I have felt like desperation was going to overtake me. I hear what You are saying this morning but I also feel like I do not have the strength to carry it out.

My pride fights against Your Spirit. The natural man inside of me has been offended and he wants to be angry. The natural man inside of me was not given what he wants so he desires to sulk. The natural man inside of me is justified in feeling what he feels and he wants to do nothing about it.

I literally feel like I am being ripped apart by the battle taking place inside of me today. I confess to You the sin of my pride. I acknowledge to You that Your way is better than my own. But I also know that I am incapable of loving my wife as You have called me to love her without You stirring in my heart and moving towards me with strength. I ask that You lead me in loving her as You have loved me.