Hello Folks! I hope this post finds you well!
A lot has happened this April, among them the blessing that I will be mother!
But what God has been ministering to my heart the most lately is about submission. And that’s what I want to write about today.
The topic for this post originated in a discussion last Thursday with our ISEED group. We’re having discussions about The Art of Marriage material, and the last lesson was about the role of the husband and wife in marriage. A colleague did a question: It is common to find international couples coming to the United States to study, and usually one of them cannot practice their profession due to visa restrictions. This generates a lot of frustration in the marriage, as one is developing professionally and the other cannot. What to do in this case?
I have been living this situation. I came to the United States to accompany my husband who is doing part of his doctorate. My visa allows me to work, so I came with the expectation of getting a job in my field and taking the time to grow professionally. This was “my” plan, but not God’s plans.
For 1 year I looked for jobs in many places. I started by selecting jobs in my field. I even had interviews, but all doors closed. So, I started looking for jobs that required a lower degree of education, and even in these the doors were closed. I struggled a lot with the Lord and with my husband. I thought: It’s not fair that my husband has a good opportunity and I’m suffering here to get a job. I went through several stages, anger at God, anger at my husband, anger at the United States, wanting to return to my country, doubt about my abilities, depression, etc.
And it was during all this storm that the Lord taught me about submission. I had the opportunity to start ISEED training and learn how to be a true disciple of Jesus. I learned that God doesn’t fit into my life, it’s me who fits into His good will. The turning point was when I read “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers”. The book brings out the differences between victim and proactive people. I realized that I was being a victim of my situation, trying to blame everyone else for not being able to get a job. I understood that I had to work with the resources I had, and hand over to the Lord those things that I couldn’t solve.
It changed my way of thinking. I reconciled with God and accepted his will for me. I understood that the effort we were making with a couple is for “our” benefit. We are a team, so I started to be more intentional about serving my husband at home. He works a lot, so I tried to make his life easier so he could dedicate himself to his work and ISEED training. I dedicated myself to ISEED training. I used my free time to help people and witness about Jesus. I started serving in my church and in the IFI Bible discussion group. In short, I learned to submit to the Lord and my husband.
I’m not going to lie saying it was a beautiful and radical change. There are days that I struggle, but I try to be faithful to what the Lord has given me. I find that the more I focus on the Lord, the more peace and joy I have from serving Him despite the situations. There are days when my soul is disturbed by the situations of this life, and when I realize this, I immediately run to God, who gives me the strength and peace I need to move on.
Well, going back to my colleague’s question, I answered: I’ve been living this and it’s not easy, but I found in the Lord my support and strength to move on. I think that when a couple goes through this kind of situation, they should cling to the Lord with all their strength.
I don’t know what you’re going through, but one thing I do know, do your best with the resources you have, and those situations you can’t solve, give it to the guy who solves it.
Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will do this. Psalms 37:5
May your month of May be blessed!