so that we might have this wisdom now for years, and could calculate how many days, our marriages and other relationships? they’ve been married. We number those days. Therefore, we’re halfway toward a heart of In American vernacular there’s a big difference wisdom. between having good intentions and living intentionally. I go to bed each night with good Next time strife or bitterness raises its head intentions to speak kindly to my husband or that gulf slowly widens between you and tomorrow and pray for him. I have good your spouse, stop and count the days. They intentions when I plan to make his favorite are few. Psalm 90 goes on to say that we have dinner tomorrow or remember to ask about 70, maybe 80 years if we’re lucky. that meeting he had yesterday. Good intentions are my plans to go to the gym and eat more We are finite creatures. All our miseries and vegetables. complaints are so small and short-lived compared to the eternal glory purchased for us by Christ. The first step toward governing our marriages with wisdom is to recognize how fleeting they are. Next, we must intentionally order, prepare for and appoint our days.
inspired women magazine MARCH / APRIL 2014
It’s so easy in the heat of the moment, to assume that this crisis of miscommunication or hurt will ruin our lives, make or break our relationship. It can’t destroy us if we don’t let it. When we number our days, view them in the true light of their brevity, it’s much easier to take a step back and intentionally form our response or reaction to every situation.
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So, do the math. Number your days. Let that practice form within you a heart of wisdom, the beginning of the fear of the Lord. And then But living my marriage intentionally requires intentionally, with more than good intentions, that I apply some elbow grease to those conduct your marriage with wisdom. intentions. If I don’t do the hard work to make good on those intentions, then that is all they Abby Kelly is the author of The remain—good intentions, and I must plan Predatory Lies of Anorexia: again to live intentionally. Marriage is one of those few relationships that we commemorate every year. Save for the embarrassed hubby that forgot several times, most couples know exactly how many
A Survivor’s Story. She blogs at Predatory Lies. She and her husband move frequently with his Army career but they currently live in Georgia. When she’s not writing, she loves to take long walks with her dog, Brave.