I’ve been harboring a lie and I didn’t know it.
Last Friday I sat during my quiet time, praising God for the amazing ways He’s using this ministry, and Lynn and I, to reach out and help others in spiritually mismatched marriages. I will tell you I was so overcome with gratitude that God was using me to help others, that He chose me to be a part of this ministry, that tears sprung to my eyes.
Then, as only God can, He gently showed me a lie I’d bought into. In the past I’ve had times where I wondered if my husband’s unbelief kept me from stepping into completely serving God. What I mean by that is, would God have to keep me simmering on the stove until my husband accepted Christ and then He could let me “boil” full steam for Jesus!
Forgive the poor analogy but I hope that makes sense. I’ve pushed that thought aside many a time, refusing to believe it, but what I didn’t realize is that I’d totally bought into it.
This revelation hit me full force Friday morning, as if God were saying, “Look, you thought his unbelief would keep you from doing what you wanted for me. Take a look around you, Dineen? Did it hold back this ministry and book and how I’m using you in the midst of it all?”
Needless to say, my tears turned into a full bawl. (It’s been a very emotional few days!) The lie was exposed. God hadn’t held me back at all. My husband’s unbelief hadn’t held me back either. No, I’d allowed this lie to take root in my thoughts and allowed it to make me think I was being held back from serving God as I desired. And I’m sure I’ve even hid behind my husband’s unbelief at times out of the fear that stepping out would make our faith disconnect worse or make waves in our marriage.
Yet here I sit (and write) with the full evidence in front of me that it’s not true. The enemy succeeded for a while, but not anymore.
I want to pass this revelation onto you. Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, go do it. If God is the one leading you in a direction you fear may create waves, step back a moment and look at this way, and with much prayer.
God knows your spouse, knows what will and won’t stir the waters of your marriage. He’s in control of it all. And if God is calling you in a certain direction, He’s not only going to equip you for it, He’s also going to work in your unbelieving spouse as well.
I will give you an example. Our book is finally here, real and in our hands. You know what our message is. And you know that Lynn and I have been very careful to spend time in prayer to make sure we’re clearly serving God and following His will and purpose for us in this ministry. In other words, we’ve been very careful not to step outside of God’s plan or get ahead of him.
Enter my husband-the atheist-who is as excited as us about our book. He’s checking our Amazon ranking and sending me little updates as to how the book is doing. He’s so pumped!
Friends, if that’s not God working in his heart to accept what is the truth, I don’t know what is. I don’t claim to understand it, but I know without a doubt this wouldn’t be possible without God.
So, don’t be afraid to step out and live your faith as God is calling you to. Don’t wait for your spouse to come to faith in order to walk into the purpose God has for you now. If anything, your life of faith will become an even more powerful testimony of God’s power and saving grace to your unbelieving spouse.
When we stay close to Jesus, and are willing to lose our lives for Him, amazing and wonderful things happen in our lives and in our marriages. We can move forward with the assurance and trust that God has all the details in his control. He will bring you to a place of service that will work for you and your marriage. It may not be what you expected, but I’m betting it will exceed what you thought possible.
Praying and believing,
Dineen
Do you ever feel like a nine year old at an amusement park? You want to ride with the big kids on the “Big” rides with the adults but you just don’t measure up. Not tall enough.
I think everyone of us struggles with …. Not enough.
Join Lynn today at Laced with Grace for: Why Does It Feel Like I'm Never Enough.
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