One important element of marriage is sacrifice. As we learn to sacrifice our own needs and wants, we are contributing to the building of a covenant marriage. In his book, Drawing Heaven into Your Marriage, H. Wallace Goddard, shares an example that really resonated with me. He states, "When I think about applying the principles of sacrifice to marriage I think of the allegory of a man who had two friends in the manufactured-home business. When he wanted a new house, he asked each friend to send him half a house. He gave no plans. He provided no specifications on size or style. He left them to design as they would. So each friend sent a lovely half-house. When the two halves arrived at the sight, they were jarringly different. Rooms did not line up. Utilities did not match up. Roofs and walls between the two halves did not connect."
Goddard goes on to explain that this can be likened to marriage. Each of us is created in a unique family and have grown up with different parents, siblings, circumstances, and traditions. Even if two people have similar beliefs and backgrounds there are still many differences that will arise.
In a covenant marriage, couples work through their differences together with respect, patience, long-suffering and of course, love. Goddard continues with reference to the allegory,
“We covenant to bring all to the altar. The Lord cannot bless what we will not bring. He asks that we bring our whole souls to Him so that He can transform us. If we are willing to let Him be the carpenter, He can blend the two half-houses together.” I have seen this in my own marriage as my husband and I have struggled through trials together. Ironically, some of these trials have actually made us stronger as a couple.
The outcome of our sacrifices in marriage will often bring forth blessing more abundant than we deserve. It may not be immediate to see the fruits of our labors but as we learn time and time again in the scriptures, “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."
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