Apart from Christ, we can do NOTHING!
One of the most important things for anyone standing for marriage restoration to understand and ALWAYS keep in mind, is that WITHOUT Jesus Christ, we CAN’T do it! But Mark 10:27 says Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” So the ONLY way to ever have what it takes to stand for marriage restoration is revealed in John 15:5-11, which says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. In fact, on those inevitable days when we struggle with the call on our lives to stand for the restoration of our marriages, we should read all of Jon 15.
So it is very disheartening to hear standers say “I just can’t do this anymore!” Sadly, statements like that reveal exactly WHY they struggle so much and why they want to give up; they are trying to stand in and of their own strength, and as Jesus told us in the above passage of scripture, apart from Him, we can do absolutely NOTHING! Even though one of the FAM members didn’t know this was the topic for today’s SOF post, he shared something with me this morning that really illustrates the point of this passage and explains why so many people standing for marriage restoration find it such a constant battle to continue. He said that instead of giving him strength, God needs to BE his strength. Wow! What a totally different and powerful perspective! Of course, we know that God gives us strength, but we have to remember that it is HIS strength and not ours! And that’s confirmed in 1 Chronicles 29:12, which says Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. And then Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
However, God WILL allow us to struggle along UNTIL we totally surrender to Him and LET Him have the control He requires, but we can all make the process so much easier if we’d just give EVERYTHING to Him and trust Him. We need to live and breathe Proverbs 3:5-6, which says Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. AND we have to ALWAYS remember the very wise counsel found in 1 Peter 4:11, which says If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. When we DO that, we just can’t lose!
So I hope and pray that we ALL get the significance of this message and understand that standing for the restoration of our marriages is NOT about US, and apart from Jesus Christ, we can not and will not do it! But with Him ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, so let’s REMAIN IN HIM and be blessed and encouraged!