Joy Filled Marriages

God not only wants His children to have joy filled lives, He wants us to have joy filled marriages. The Hebrew meaning for Joy (chara) is to rejoice, joy, rejoicing, gladness, gladness of heart. We can have this in our marriages...IF...we want it and are willing to work for it.

In order to have a joy filled marriage, we must first, OBEY God's Word. Understand and accept the role God gave us as women. Let go of what the "culture" says.

And...

Love. Forgive. Laugh. Be Doers. Love. Forgive. Have a servants heart. Trust God with our husbands. Let go of expectations. Oh, and did I mention LOVE and FORGIVE??

Our Joy Filled Marriages section will feature funny stories, jokes, advice on keeping the romance alive in your marriage, articles, and mini devotionals on how to not only have a joy filled marriage, but MAINTAIN it as well!

Note: Joy Filled Marriages is updated monthly.

Joy Filled Marriages Mini Devotional

Spiritual Worms

By: Carol Levergood


But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

While washing dishes in my kitchen in Brazil, I noticed Robert walking through the big dining room carrying his children’s devotional book. At seven years of age I found that a pretty big spiritual achievement. I didn’t know whether he was hinting to us to read more to him or he was going to attempt it on his own with his limited reading skills, but I was sure impressed.

Drying my hands a few moments later I began to wonder where our son had gone. Looking in the living room everything was in tact but no sign of this spiritual soul. Opening the front door to the veranda, I spotted Robert sitting next to a jar. He was so excited he had finally caught enough worms to go fishing with his homemade bamboo pole.

Looking further my eyes caught the devotional book lying atop the jar of worms. When I asked him about it, he said he didn’t want his worms to get away. All of a sudden my concept of the spirituality of a seven year old went down the drain, along with the pride that had puffed up inside. Deflated I left him to tend to his worms. What was I expecting from a seven year old?

All of us can easily misjudge actions of others. Of course I really misjudged the actions of a seven year old which in my heart I knew was too good to be true, but was hoping otherwise. We tend to misjudge people in real life situations because mostly we don’t know their hearts. There are signs to look for the Bible shows clearly and motive, actions, and word play an important role in the Christian’s life.

There are times when an object or act will appear to be one thing when in reality it is another. God will give us insight, but we must be careful not to misjudge, looking to Him for guidance and wisdom in the matter.

If we have the mind of Christ (vs.16) then we will be able to tell truth from lies, or real from fake. We have the Holy Spirit to help us discern right from wrong, but be careful not to think you know all there is to know about a situation or you might end up spiritually deflated before the people, holding a jar of worms.


Father,

Show me what true discernment is and to know the difference between acting judgmental and knowing truth. I am unable to be a good judge of many things, so help me understand your word when it comes to judging right from wrong. In Jesus Name I pray.

Copyright © Carol Levergood

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Joy Filled Marriages