Another holiday...
Another moment alone...
Another moment where things just don't feel right...
Another reminder that you hurt...
Philippians 2:5-8
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of Himself that he had to cling to the advantage of that status no matter what. When the time came, He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death —a crucifixion.
BUT my spouse should love me? Yes!
BUT my spouse says mean things? Yes!
BUT my spouse doesn't spend time with me? Yes!
BUT my spouse doesn't put me first? Yes!
BUT my spouse walks all over me? Yes!
The Lord Jesus Christ was walked on by everyone. He was the biggest doormat of all. He hung on the cross for the whole world to wipe their sinful feet on. I mean, wow! Have you thought of that before? We often find ourselves complaining about little stuff but we so quickly forget our own sins against Christ. He became the biggest doormat of all for the whole world to walk all over with their muddy, sinful feet. If a servant isn't any greater than his master, then who am I to think that I could demand to be more than a human doormat? I am sure, as a stander, someone has said to you, "But you shouldn't just be a doormat!" And rightfully so, you should not be a doormat. You are actually less than a doormat.
Humility—having or showing consciousness of one’s short-comings. Lower in condition or rank to lower in pride. That's Webster definition of humility. It's an "others before me" mindset.
This is the very trait that Christ displayed for us when He took the cross. He put our eternal well-being above His own temporary physical pain. Why? In order for us to have a way to become clean.
You cannot be the way that your prodigal spouse becomes clean and come back to the Father. However, you can be the path that they take to come back to Jesus. But this will mean that you WILL be walked on. You WILL feel pain of their hard walking. You WILL have your life muddied by the filth of their life. But the stepping stone always points a path back the Doormat.
And with Josh having come from a landscaping background, there were numerous times where his job was to create a stepping stone path. Never once was a stepping stone path ever created by just throwing down random stones and hoping they pointed to the final destination. Josh ALWAYS chose each and every stone and where each one was placed with the purpose of paving a path to the destination.
You were chosen by God to be a stepping stone to Jesus. You were hand-selected to be a part of the path that WILL lead your wayward spouse back to Jesus and the loving arms of the Father. Once you recognize that you were chosen for this purpose, your stance becomes that much stronger. When you know your purpose and that God has placed you here for that purpose, it is easier to reconcile the pain and hurt that you will endure when your purpose is being fulfilled.
I'm sure that many of you have some great needs during this time in your life and we are praying for you and your needs. However, don't focus on you needs and what you don't have. Focus on loving your spouse that way that Jesus does and your obedience to God.
The result of your obedience will be humility. The aim of your humility will be to become a stepping stone to Jesus. The purpose of becoming a stepping stone to Jesus is to glorify God.
Josh and Serena
