Charisma Magazine

Have you ever had mixed emotions about your spouse? I have.

One day I got out of bed and began my regular devotional time with the Lord, reading the Word, studying a powerful book and praying. When I stood to my feet, I was filled with peace and gratitude. The kitchen was first on my agenda.

Do you get upset when it seems you're in a trial all by yourself with no one to see you through it? You probably think your husband doesn't care or that your friends are insensitive to your plight. But the truth is, God is the only one who can deliver you in tough times. Like a butterfly pushing its way out of a cocoon during metamorphosis, a believer must be willing to endure struggles to complete the Father's transformation process. Watch the video below.

The night I met my husband, Danny Lotz, I was 17 years old and had just graduated from high school. Danny had been raised in a strong Christian home by a father who was a pastor of a small church in New York City.

Danny had received Jesus Christ as a young boy at his dad’s church and had taken a strong, uncompromising stand for his faith since then. He was a young girl’s dream, and 15 months later we were married in the same mountain chapel where my parents had married 23 years earlier.

One of the greatest weaknesses within the body of Christ is our paranoia when it comes to handling conflict. Regardless of how many Scripture verses we learn about addressing it, we still treat it like the plague.

Why don’t we deal with discord truthfully and without fear? Jesus taught us “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9, NKJV), but we seem to have translated His words this way: “Blessed are the doormats.” However, the truth is, peacemakers clearly practice the skill of negotiation during conflict.

Do you know people who are zealous for God and want to serve Him in every area of ministry possible? No doubt the Father appreciates our commitment to His work, but until we tap into our own purpose, we will be spiritually discontent. We all have a unique job to do for the kingdom, so we must resist the temptation to fulfill someone else's assignment, lest we become ineffective and risk losing the favor of God. To hear more about purpose from author Patricia Hinds, listen to the podcast below.