It makes me smile, not at the prospect of getting a new set of dishes. Not because I am unsentimental. It makes me smile because it means that we've been married long enough to have holes wear through the dish towels. We've seen enough life together that things (not just material things) have broken along the way. But unlike the broken dishes that got thrown in the trash, God can and does heal the brokenness in our lives.
Every moment of the last 9 years and 7 months hasn't been easy, but it has been good. The hard times have brought us closer as a couple and refined us as individual Christ followers. James 1:2 says,
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Have I faced every trial with joy? Admittedly, no, but I have seen after-the-fact how the trials have produced steadfastness.Some of the trials in our marriage have not been outsiders forcing trouble into our lives. Some of them have been the result of our humanity. Our shortcomings. It's not easy to admit your shortcomings and struggles to your spouse, but those times have been some of the best times in our marriage. We've cried together, shared our hearts and become closer in the long run. It's so easy to think that it will be better if I just keep (fill in the blank) to myself, because I wouldn't want to hurt him, but it is just the opposite. It has brought healing.
Not one of us is perfect and complete yet. We all have cracks and holes somewhere, but God is the Healer. Sometimes that means going through hard times to bring the healing. When Romans 8:28 says, "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose," it's not a promise that every situation will turn out how we want it to, but that we will turn out more like Christ. God uses trials in life to make us "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Are you facing a trial right now? God will refine you through it if you let Him. Have you noticed some cracks and holes in your life, or has someone pointed some out to you? God is refining you. Have you noticed some cracks and holes in your spouse (or someone else)? Be patient, and pray for them. Wait for God's timing to point it out to them. Sometimes He resolves it without your help and sometimes He'll use you to help refine them.
...and let the cracks and holes make you smile.
