Love & Marriage Column
Change Gospel Newspaper ( July 2010 )
Will My Marriage Last ?
By Nicole Cleveland
Recently I had a conversation with a single sister.
“I’m scared to get married”, she said “look at what happened to you.”
Truth be told many singles feel this way. Some voice their concerns and some run before the relationship gets too serious. The power couples once looked upon as the epitome of marriage are quickly fading away. High profile celebrities and leaders of mega ministries are now separated or divorced.
Look at Al & Tipper Gore, divorcing after 40 years of marriage.
To spend 40 years with one person and “grow apart” is sad.
Instead of “growing apart” my question would be “how do we grow closer ?”
“How do we make this work?“ Dreams of once growing old with each other and enjoying
their senior years together are shattered.
People are dissolving their marriage after 20,30 and 40 plus years. The kids are grown , out of the house and the parents decide they don’t know or like each other.
Everyday someone is in divorce court testifying about infidelity, domestic violence, sex and communication.
Will My Marriage Last?
Yes, it can.
It takes hard work, commitment and most important, God to make a marriage work.
Marriage is a threesome. God, Husband & Wife. It’s similar to a triangle and God is at the top. In my opinion a marriage cannot survive without God. He is the source and the foundation. Without him, two very different people are trying to become one on their own. With God , two people that believe in him are merging into one, sharing the same faith, principles and love. It’s not forced because we share the characteristics of the almighty.
Will your love be tested?
ABSOLUTELY!
What relationship is not tested?
Take my marriage for instance. It was almost destroyed due to an affair. An affair that produced a child. My marriage seemed hopeless and just when I thought it was over God restored the love and trust and I am ever so grateful. We are not only lovers but we are now friends. My husband and I had to “grow” through what we went through so that God could get the glory from the restoration. The process was not easy, but it was well worth it. Marriage between a woman and a man is honorable.
You may be saying – “ But my marriage is horrible, it can not be fixed.”
God can take a broken marriage and put it back together again. He takes little love and makes much. Falling out of love is not an option in God.
I am a living testimony of God being at the top of my marriage triangle. Is he at the top of yours? If not, do some adjusting.
Can Marriage Work?
Yes it can , if you work it.
Stay Blessed
Nicole Cleveland is a minister ,motivational speaker and author of “So He Cheated, Now What?”
Visit her online at www.nicoleconline.com or email her at nicoleconline@gmail.com