God’s Path Is Filled With Friends

Today’s reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

I have a friend whose marriage has long been in trouble. In fact, those who know this man well will say that he hasn’t had much of a marriage for years. He and his wife still live together, spend lots of time with each other and stay in constant communication via their cell phones when they are separated. But the things they say to one another are rarely nice. Their style, instead, is to nag, ridicule and criticize. They seem miserable in each other’s company. Yet they endure — sort of.

My friend’s wife has recently told me, as she does at least once a year, that she is finished with the marriage. She is tired of waiting for my friend to change his ways, to become a more loving husband. She is ready to move on.

Over the years, I have broached this topic with my friend. I have suggested things he could do to improve his marriage and I have confronted him about the negative, downright mean, way he talks about, and to, his wife. I’ve told him many times that he is on the verge of losing her, and I have recommended he join her for marriage counseling.  His response is always apathetic.

“I don’t have time for counseling. If she’s so unhappy, let her go,” he says. “No one is stopping her.”

Meanwhile I try my best to convince the wife that she should not give up and, further, she should find ways to be more loving herself.  She says she doesn’t see the point in that. She’s tried it before, she says (and I will testify that she has), but it has just not worked.

I suggest to her that, perhaps, she she has not tried hard enough. She just grimaces.

I sometimes feel as if I care more about this marriage than either of my friends.

That’s okay. I’ll keep encouraging them. I know God has a blissfully happy marriage in store for these blessed people, should they decide to accept it. Today’s reading reminds me that it’s my duty under God to try to guide them to this happiness:

“And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.” (Verse 14)

Thanks be to God for all my friends. May all of us help each other find His glory in our lives.