Monday's Marriage Moment - Prioritize!

the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 
Titus 2:3-5

Have you ever been confronted with truth to the point that it hurt your feelings? I mean it hit you so hard that it knocked the wind out of you? I have. I was reflecting this morning on a time a few years ago that I experienced that "knock you down" kind of truth. I thought things were going well, but then my husband said this to me, "Babe, you don't prioritize me". He then began to cite for me a list of supporting facts for his case. I was devastated. My first response was defense: what do you mean I don't prioritize you? I listed all of the stuff that I did as a wife and mother. Yet, when the conversation ended my thoughts kept going. John was right. It hurts to acknowledge that even now. See, I was preaching and teaching the gospel. I know what the word says about wives. That's my niche. That's my thing. I know that "the sanctified wife sanctifies the husband", but I didn't realize that I wasn't with mine enough to have the desired effect. I stayed at home every night, but I wasn't giving him the time and attention that I should have. My calendar and schedule was full -- work, bible study, meetings, practices, and the list goes on and on. Go to dinner with this friend. Spend some time with this couple. Write the book. By the time I finished all that I needed to do all I wanted to do was go to bed. I was presenting John with what was left. I literally cringed when I wrote that last line, but it is the truth. I found that I was sharing things with my friends that I wasn't sharing with him. I was more involved with myself than I was with him. So, God loved me enough to confront me with truth, and he used my husband to do it. Sometimes, we can hear truth from everyone but the one that is closest to us, but I had to hear it straight from him. Instead of him leaving me or shutting me down he told me the truth, and I love him for it. Today, I am much better because of it. There are still times that I struggle with balance, but I have come a long way. I still minister and serve in the kingdom. God is even leading me to move forward with a regular teaching assignment, but I will not let it cost me my marriage. I will follow God's order: God, husband, family, and then everything else. Sometimes that means that I have to say no to some good things: meetings, conferences, etc. Yet, ultimately, I am saying yes to God every time. I am determined that I am going to please God with my life and my service. I am going to live the principles that He has set forth in His word. These choices may garner some raised eyebrows and side eyes from others, but if it gets a smile from God it is well worth it. Choose wisely, friends! Listen to your spouse. Really listen. Hear both what they are saying and what they aren't saying. Spend time with them. Look at your calendar and your schedule. Think about how you spend your time. Does it demonstrate that your spouse is a priority? If not, what can you do?