Oblivious or Obvious
Marriages get in trouble for two reasons:
Oblivious – Lack of attention. The focus gets put on schedules and things that are a part of the marriage but are not the purpose of the marriage. This causes incremental
negative change that leads to an overall unenthusiastic attitude about the relationship. It is a gradual progress over time, such miniscule change that it often goes unnoticed until the marriage comes into jeopardy. (The proverbial frog in the beaker.)
Obvious – Lack of confrontation. This takes place when things that need to be addressed are not. Little things that should be confronted aren’t. These little things add up to form a huge obstacle over time. Little things not confronted leave feelings of frustration and over a period of time can cause huge issues that can bring a marriage into crisis. (The proverbial straw and camel’s back) The best approach for keeping relationships healthy is to focus on the here and now. Keep attention to the purpose of marriage and confront issues as they arise.
Thoughts to Ponder:
What is the purpose of our marriage? Why did we get married?
How are all the things we are doing in our marriage contributing to the purpose of our marriage?
What are some things that need to be confronted that are obvious yet unaddressed?
Scripture:
Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes, which ruin the vineyards – for our vineyard is in bloom. Song of Solomon 2:15 (The Message Bible)