Recently,Garth and I have been talking about a book he has been reading called Every Man’s Battle. It’s about struggles men face on a daily basis relating to visual temptation and the challenge to remain pure at heart. Men are visual and our world is full of temptation for our men. Case in point: I get free subscriptions to magazines by filling out random surveys through Raining Hot Coupons and I filled one out recently so Garth could start getting Men’s Fitness. The first issue came yesterday and the front cover was a woman in a string bikini. Really?! What does that have to do with men’s fitness?!
Why am I telling you all of this? Because as wives we need to help our husbands in this battle. We need to be aware of it, be able to discuss it with our spouses, and ask what we can do to help them be the most Godly men they can be. For me, that was talking to Garth about it. I realized it was a challenge he and most men face all the time and that maybe when I’m watching Real Housewives and a woman’s boobs are popping out and Garth is in the room I can change the channel. Instead of having my Shape magazines laying around with bikini clad women on the cover I can turn them face down or put them away when I’m not reading them so I’m not creating a tempting environment around the house.
Garth describes the struggle of lusting so well using the analogy of ice cream, which he heard from a pastor at church one Sunday that he likes to share with others. If you get a bite of ice cream here and there during the day, you won’t be all that excited about the ice-cream waiting for you when you get home. But if you somehow practice self-control and keep your guard up and wait until you get home to enjoy your ice-cream that’s waiting for you, it will be so overwhelmingly delicious and everything it was meant to be.
It’s a big deal. Our relationship is strong and remains strong because we work on only having eyes for each other. Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." I believe Jesus says this to protect us. To keep our intimate lives strong and our bond even stronger.
8 comments:
This is by far the silliest thing I've read on your blog. Even sillier than your over obsession with your scale.
Best move to the Middle East where the women are wearing burkas. Men look, women look. It's okay! It adds to the spice of life!
Lindsey I have been following your blog for a couple of months now I can agree with you post. My husband is in seminary and this is something that they got into great detail about. For example last night I decided to watch the Victoria Secret fashion show but, my husband choose to play Xbox instead. Man are more visual than women plan and simple.
Really??? This is silly and stupid. Woman look to so what should the men do about that. When watching a football game switch the channel when they are all bent over?
Despite the anonymous comments I think this is a great post...husbands & wives need to help each other not to fall, regardless of what may cause them to stumble. I read every women's battle in college and it was a great read as well!
I read Every Young Woman's Battle years ago and it was great! I think it's wonderful that you two are aware of the effects that outside influences can be on your marriage and guard your marriage against what is in your control. And as for your anonymous posters - they don't grasp the concept of guarding your marriage. And that's okay. One day perhaps they'll understand. And even if they never understand, hopefully they'll learn to simply respect that people have views that differ from their own and not to make fun of them.
I am not the same person from the other two comments! I love this post and agree with the message! I too work with my husband on our marriage to make it the best and safest as we can. I think perhaps the other anonymous person is single because they seem to lack the value of a loving relationship.
Men should have self control. If a magazine sets someone off on a course to cheat, then they would have always been unfaithful. Everyone needs to be a responsible adult. I find my husband to be the most gorgeous man on the planet and am so lucky to have him. But that doesn't stop me from finding Robert Pattinson good looking. Does that mean I am going to cheat... absolutely not. Because I want no one other than my husband.
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