In the early years of our marriage, my husband and I attended several Family Life Weekend retreats.
One of our biggest takeaways from these weekends focused on improving our marriage was that we are not each other’s enemy.
The enemy in my marriage is Satan, the Father of Lies, who works to deceive and to turn us against one another. Even when we may disagree, my husband is not my enemy. He is my partner, my best friend, my lover. He is not my enemy.
Knowing that changes so much!
It changes the way we live together and the way we handle disagreements. It changes the way we love one another and work together as one.
This morning as I was struggling with one of my children, the thought struck me that the same is true with my relationship towards those precious little ones that God has so blessed me with.
They are not my enemy.
They are little people that need to be shown love…the Father’s love.
They need my grace, and patience and understanding not my anger and resentment.
These little ones that can drive me to the brink of insanity are not my enemy.
When I am dealing with disobedience, defiance, and cleaning up messes left and right I need to remember that they are not my enemy.
I have only one enemy in this world.
His name is Satan.
He attacks by lying.
He attacks by deceiving.
He attacks by twisting and turning the truth of God’s word.
He attacks by confusing my mind and blurring my vision.
When I believe his lies and fall under his attacks, it is all too often the ones I love the most who suffer…my husband and my children.
When I fail to see who my real enemy is, I don’t see my children as they are.
I fail to see their innocent eyes looking up to me for approval, for grace, for forgiveness, and for love.
Today I am praising God for this reminder of who my enemy is and for remembrance of this life changing knowledge.
The next time a drink is spilt, a fight breaks out, the homeschool day goes all wrong and I am ready to raise my voice in anger and frustration I pray that I will be reminded that the ones I am tempted to lash out at are not my enemy.
I pray that I would know who my real enemy is and go to the Lord in prayer to rebuke him and his attacks.
Do you need to join me in remembering who the real enemy is in your home?
Jodi says
Thanks for this reminder.