“This is the second night in a row that you’ve come home late – and again, dinner is ruined. I worked for two hours cooking for you so it would be ready when you came home. I feel you don’t appreciate me and what I do for you around here,” Sarah said noisily dropping the plate of food onto the table.

“What? I appreciate you enough to work 11 hours overtime to buy those trinkets you are wearing as we speak. I work my buns off eight to 12 hours a day to supply us with food, utilities, rent, and the necessities to maintain our lifestyle. Why do I have to fight the world and then come home and have to fight you? I feel like sometimes you don’t support me in that endeavor,” Alex said in his defense.

How many of us have had a similar exchange like the one above? If you haven’t yet, give it time, we all eventually have issues and differences. However, whether your issue is a boundary problem, communication problem, time management, intimacy, focus, emotional infidelity, money, forgiveness, or lack of appreciation, God can fix it. . .IF YOU LET HIM! There is a Scripture in the Bible (among others) that if we take it to heart and seriously practice it; could eradicate ALL problems between two believing people as long as they BOTH want a positive and reconciling outcome.

v12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Ephesians 6:12 KJV]

Now, I cannot explode this Scripture in your heart, but I strongly exhort you not just to read this Scripture and say, “Oh, that was nice and so true,” and then go about your day. (I have regretted doing that a couple times in my day.) If that believing couple really wants their marriage or relationship to last and be reconcilable, then they BOTH must take this Scripture to heart and faithfully practice its wisdom from their innermost being. . .and mean it. There must be a hunger for God and His Word. Otherwise, it will do no good because God looks on the heart [1].

Please allow me to be vulnerable for a moment by confessing to you for your edification that as a Christian man, I may not have been the best husband sometimes. The Bible calls the man to be the spiritual leader of the home, so, in trying to guide us, I sometimes forgot to let Jesus guide me in doing so along the way. I must admit that I got caught up in the tit for tat, point/counterpoint of our discussions. (OK, our arguments.)

As believers, we can stand there looking at our spouse or significant other with their red face, bulging veins, and glaring eyes, and know who is behind this metamorphosis. Trust me; it’s not your spouse, but it is the enemy trying to work his sick magic. (Better yet, trust God.)

Please brothers and sisters, in Jesus name, heed my exhortation and don’t fall for the enemies tactics that manifests itself in their body language (the flesh), but know what is driving their tongue and their soul. Another warning as well, it takes BOTH parties and God to reconcile [2] that argument, relationship, and/or marriage. Therefore, both of you take Ephesians 6:12 to heart and diligently practice its wisdom. Please take it from me as I regretfully sit here in a one bedroom apartment while the love of my life and the most beautiful woman on the planet, has gone her separate way.
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Next week: Lets keep it all in context by following up with an eight part discussion on the next six verses in Ephesians six; the whole armor of God [Ephesians 6: 13-18].

[1] 1 Samuel 16:7
[2] Ecclesiastes 4:12