I've just been informed by my wife that she no longer intends to be "intimate" with me if I don't go to church. She thinks this site and all of these teachings are of the devil.
I'm really at a loss here.
Friend Keys ....
Surely you have heard the old saying, "when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade", add sugar.
Through circumstances that have come to you from God or from Satan OR better yet just a simple human reaction from a frustrated wife who has no authority or strength to compel you to do what she believes is correct, you now have a blessed opportunity to provide a lesson in humility and obedience to God and an example of tender love and compassion for
your wife's feelings and emotional needs.
The scriptures which speak to believers and not to UN-believers at this time, say "submit yourselves to one another as unto the Lord. Read the following as if it was presented to you alone in secret and not to your wife who cannot see the value of it at this time.
Eph 5:21-33, :21"Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of GOD".
:25 Husbands, love your wives EVEN AS Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. :26 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word;
Please read these verses over again and delete the reference to wives from the passage. Apply the passage to husbands and to yourself only. You are the leader, not the boss. Christ is the boss.
This passage, at this time does not apply to her; unless she can understand the full meaning.
Reading it to her proves LITTLE; it is written to believers, it is written to YOU ALONE at this time.
This is an exercise in love and in balance.
Accept whatever love she is willing to give, do not be small minded and avoid contact with her, be gentle and receptive to all her ministrations and consider this a test that a
REAL MAN of God can handle with love and gracious responses to every situation. Hold her hand, hold the door, help her to cross the street.
For a little empathy in your own mind, think of all the single fellows out there who have no one to share their bed. Recall all the good times you have enjoyed in your wife's arms. This trial is to build you up and to demonstrate what God can do with a loving husband. No words and no sermon will have any greater beneficial effect on your relationship with your wife than for her to see and come to sincerely believe that you love her just as much without the intimacy you have enjoyed, as you did before. This will give her confidence in you and should develop a new level of love such that God MAY indeed call her and open her understanding. Let go of the reins of control and let God do the work in her. You just be the type of example that she needs to see.
Hope this will help a little and thanks for sharing your needs for prayer.
Indiana Bob