Spring 2012 Small Groups

There is no human relationship that is more significant than marriage. God affirmed this at the dawn of creation, when he established the union of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:24). Christ himself reaffirmed the primacy of marriage in his own teaching. Why, then, does it seem so hard to enter into? Why, then, does it seem so difficult to stay in?

Paul David Tripp would challenge those questions with one of his own: "What did you expect?" And that question serves as the title for his book on marriage, What Did You Expect?, the subject of our Spring 2012 small group series. He writes:

More couples than I can number have been surprised that their marriage needs the regular rescue of grace. And because they did not take the Bible seriously, they were caught short in that moment, when the rubber meets the road in daily life, where grace was their only hope…

So when you are sinned against or when the fallen world breaks your down, don't lash out or run away. Stand in your weakness and confusion and say, 'I am not alone. God is with me, and he is faithful, powerful, and willing.' You can be realistic and hopeful at the very same time. Realistic expectations are not about hope without honesty, and they are not about honesty without hope. Realism is found at hte intersection of unabashed honesty and uncompromising hope. God's Word and God's grace make both possible in your marriage.

Are your expectations for your marriage realistic?