‘And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ‘ Romans 12:1(NLT)
‘throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.’ Ephesians 4:22-24(NLT)
‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ‘ Philippians 4:8(NLT)
‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.’ 2 Timothy 1:7(NLT)
‘We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5-6(NLT)
‘By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ‘ 2 Peter 1:3(NLT)
A Timeless Truth
You find what you are looking for.
All leaders of thought agree that we become what we think about, we get what we expect, and we find what we’re looking for. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said it this way: “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7). The key to this profound revelation is applying it to our everyday thoughts and marriage. After all, if King Solomon and every other leader of thought is right, that our outcome begins in our mind-set, then if we constantly focus on our issues, we unwittingly perpetuate the subject of our thoughts—the problem. However, if we harness our thinking to align with God’s, embracing the truth that we are created on purpose for a purpose, we reap the benefits of living fully and powerfully in the design He ordained for our lives and marriage.
Don’t be confused. We aren’t saying problems, adversity, and conflict don’t exist; unfortunately, they’re a part of every relationship. However, the solution, triumph, and victory for our marriage hinges on our ability to shift our focus from our personal Goliaths to the magnitude of God’s power and purpose for our relationship. When couples begin to shift their attention from the problem and focus on living God’s purpose, life happens.
All throughout Scripture, God encourages us to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:1), and to put off the old man with all its deceitful ways and be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:22-24). The Apostle Paul writes, “if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). As couples, we are not powerless to our thoughts (2 Timothy 1:7). We can demolish every lie opposing who God says we are by capturing our thoughts and making them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5−6).
Take a moment to ask yourself: Do I live problem-focused or purpose-focused in my marriage? God designed you distinctly for a purpose and equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your marriage purpose (2 Peter 1:3). Today, focus your attention on God’s intention for your marriage and exchange your problems for His purpose.
from 2 Are Better Than 1: Uncover Your Marriage Purpose