In Colossians 3:18,19, the Apostle Paul speaks to conjugal issues.
18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Now there is a good recipe for a happy marriage. The scriptures here address a weak area in both the husband and the wife.
Wives, especially in our modern era, have a little rebellious notion down deep in their heart that they must deal with. She may submit steadfastly for a season but all of a sudden, a small aperture will open and reveal a desire to pretty well do as she pleases. Christian women have the help of the Holy Spirit in this regard and can successfully manage that whim.
The worst thing for a husband is to unexpectedly notice some kind of activity that betrays the trust he has placed in his wife, and have that trust shattered because she seemingly suddenly went off and acted independently and defiantly, bringing about a shaking in the relationship bond. That may take days to repair and longer to undo the damages that may have been caused by such a rogue act.
It is these instances that may very well provoke and promote the male frailty called bitterness. He cannot believe what has just happened and is left feeling betrayed and emasculated. Not only does the wife’s disloyalty hurt the man but he feels his authority has been disrespected and diminished. The enemy will be quick to pounce on that and bring about suspicion and cause the man to ponder, What else is going on that I do not know about?
Bitterness sets in quickly if not checked and brought before the Lord, and the situation diffused through reciprocal communication.
There is reason the scripture says, in Ephesians 4: 26,27, and 31:
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
And verse 32 concludes:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Now, these situations may not be the sole provokers of bitterness in a husband. There may be other underlying and unresolved matters stirring in the mind and heart of a man. But the aforementioned events will certainly exacerbate his response and cause his love to wax cold.
So the Christian husband now has a serious dilemma on his hands. If he continues in such a state, his happiness, and his marriage, are in jeopardy. And those twins are inseparable.
Beyond that he has a spiritual roadblock to deal with. The other Biblical marriage counselor, Apostle Peter, hits it head on.
In 1 Peter 3:7 he writes:
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Prayer is still our theme. I do not want to pray hindered prayers. And what may be the cause of worthless prayers may not be some peccadillo, or a fleshly struggle. As a Christian husband my unanswered prayer may hinge solely on my erroneous attitude, conduct, and yes, bitterness toward my joint tenant in the kingdom, the woman to whom I am married and lay beside every night.
A husband’s prayers may be the greatest force in the world, or the least
productive on earth. The Christian husband must decide and act
wisely, so his prayers be not hindered. -PJF-
Purpose! Ministries
A Praying Church - A Healing Church - A Holy Spirit Church - A Preaching Church
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