The Race of Marriage: How to Run and Obtain Results Despite the Hurdles

By Faith I. Adede

The mileage of every godly home is marked by milestones to guide every couple into a haven of peace and fulfillment. Faith, present a tapestry of eternal truth which will not only beautify every home, but shield the couples from the chilling winds of satanic incursions against families. This book will connect you with the grace you need to run your marital race.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9789785516517

Book preview

blessed.

A Note to Couples

Every adventure in life can be likened to running a race. Everyone, either consciously or unconsciously is involved in a race. Marriage is one of such races. In every race, there are winners and every winner is entitled to a prize. Now, how you run will determine whether you go home with a prize or not. You are expected to run with a clear purpose and a definite expectation. Run to win and to obtain the prize set before you.

I have never seen a runner who runs with no destination in view. Every runner has a defined destination before commencing his journey. So, because he has an expectation, he will never allow any distraction he meets on the way to stop him and will run to obtain the prize set before him.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all,

but one receiveth the prize?

So run, that ye may obtain.

1 Corinthians 9:24

So many people are walking through their marital journey when they should be running. They take the race with levity when they should be up on their toes running with purpose. In athletics, you don’t walk when the whistle is blown; you run! As soon as you are pronounced as one by a God-ordained minister, the wonderful race commences.

It takes paying the price to obtain the prize you expect.

This race will definitely cost you some sacrifices which you must be willing to make. Running to win has a price tag, and that is what this book is all about. You need to understand how to stay on track and keep pressing on even when the price is telling on you because it takes paying the price to obtain the prize you expect.

Success in marriage does not begin with marrying the right person; it begins by being the right person and a decision to make the union a successful one. Results are not reserved for some special people somewhere. In my endless search to meet the perfect person around my world, I discovered that there is none. We only have knowledgeable individuals who consciously work out perfect principles on how best to run the race set before them to keep winning and to remain fulfilled in their marriages.

Success in marriage does not begin with marrying the

right person; it begins by being the right person.

Running the race with understanding will give you cheap victory over any challenge you will ever meet on your way. People who have correct perspectives about the race of marriage never get stuck while in motion. They sail through the hurdles victoriously. So, get set as we explore the secrets of obtaining result in this ministry which the Lord has committed into our hands because; your profit must appear to all in Jesus’ name!

Shalom!

Chapter 1

Run the Race on Purpose

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Hebrews 12:1

Marriage can be a tough and rough journey if you run it on your own and without a sense of purpose and direction. A purposeless individual is the worst person to deal with. That is why a partner who lacks a sense of purpose can cause damage to his or her marital relationship, because he or she has nothing good to look forward to. If you don’t have a purpose for entering into marriage, you can afford to treat your spouse anyhow and walk away anytime. Nothing works without a sense of purpose.

However, we are privileged to be surrounded with living testimonies that should inspire us to run and obtain result in our marital races. This is because; there are so many things that might come your way in the course of this journey to weigh you down. Those are the weights the Scripture admonishes us to lay aside.

If you must run this race on purpose, then, you must be ready to lay aside every weight; else, it will encumber you. There are individuals around you who have obtained obvious results in their marital race. Observe them! Experience is weightier than hypothesis. Such individuals have become references to the fact that it is possible to run this race with peace, love and harmony and without struggles, pain or bitterness.

Experience is weightier than hypothesis.

Running to obtain results and fulfill purpose begins with the understanding that you are there to accomplish the purpose of a husband and father, or a wife and mother as ordained by God. You did not just attach yourselves. You are there on a mission to better the life of your partner.

Marriage is a race. The race of life is hectic and how you choose to run the race will determine the result you will obtain from it. It is a function of choice. You must be sure to ascertain the result you desire. The race of marriage requires your determination and willingness to accept responsibility. When you run it casually, it will only deliver casual results to you. But when you run it with every seriousness and responsibility, you will meet your targets and live fulfilled. You don’t journey through marriage by trial and error. You commence it with high expectations and run it purposefully.

Maturity is your ability to manage your spouse’s

imperfection perfectly without it affecting your

relationship negatively.

Marriage is deep. It is not just the joining together of a man and a woman. It goes beyond the bed room affairs. There is a level of maturity required in a man and the woman before thinking of getting marriage. Maturity is your ability to manage your spouse’s imperfection perfectly without it affecting your relationship negatively.

It takes a mature heart to run the race and obtain result. I realized that everything in life that ever works revolves around a simple combination of laws and principles. Marriage is not an exception. The husband and the wife must be ready to play their respective roles in the race. They have the responsibility to plant and nurture their relationship before God will release all the increases they would ever need.

I have planted, Apollos watered,

but God gave the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6

God will not give an increase until your own part

of planting and watering are fulfilled.

Even though God is powerful and can do all things, He will not plant for you, neither will He water for you. While one is planting, let the other party keep watering and then God will bring the increase. You can’t abandon your roles and expect miracles from God. Do you go to harvest if you haven’t planted anything? Plant good seeds, water them with the right attitude and see God release a bountiful harvest of joy and fulfillment into your marriage.

Keep planting profitable seeds into your marriage and the harvest will amaze you in due season. The race of marriage can never be transferred to parents or friends. They all have theirs to run as well. Well-wishers cannot run the race on your behalf. It is a personal thing. The grace of God has been released upon every home that is founded and established by Jesus, the Chief Corner Stone. So run this race not just as a runner but as one who wants to obtain the prize set before him.

In the Book of Ruth, the Bible explained how Ruth ran purposefully when she insisted on following Naomi, her mother-in-law even when everything about her marital destiny appeared bleak. She obtained an enviable testimony thereafter. Your destination and mission must be defined. You must have an idea of where you are headed for. Marriage is a life-time commitment. The race is not usually to the swift, but those who keep running on purpose and with the help of God, will obtain mercy.

Before venturing into marriage, clearly define your purpose for getting involved. This will constitute your backbone and stamina as you run the race.

Chapter 2

Have Good Expectations

… There shall be a reward, and thy expectation

shall not be cut off.

Proverbs 24:14

Your expectation is a powerful force that can deliver what you earnestly desire into your hands. Don’t enter into marriage expecting the worst. See a brighter future. See what God has promised you from the beginning and run with it. He hasn’t changed His mind; neither will He ever change! (Numbers 23:19).

Before I got married, I saw a blissful marriage. I commenced the race of marriage with great expectations. You can only experience what you expect because you have an assurance that your expectations shall not be cut off. So, expect good in your marriage if you want to enjoy goodness in your home.

Some individuals just venture into marriage with fear and wrong motives because they believe marriage is a necessary evil; which is not true. What are your expectations in your marriage? You cannot imagine failure and see success. But the Holy Bible says, Marriage is honorable in all… Hebrews 13:4.

Run with an expectation of good success. Some people are yet to be married but are already filled with fear and anxiety of the troubles they would meet someday when they get married. This shouldn’t be your expectation. Your case is definitely different because you are on course with God.

A lady met me some time ago and expressed her fear against having issues with her in-laws when she gets married. Why accommodate concerns that might never come? For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7. Fear is a snare. It can get you trapped. It has torments but perfect love casts out fear! (1 John 4:18).

Don’t live with the fear of tomorrow, because tomorrow will definitely take care of its own troubles. God is in charge of the future of your marriage, therefore, "fear not!" You see, life is enjoyable when you have a positive perspective about everything that comes your way. I should give my husband the praise of being the joy-keeper of our home. Each time I attempt to press on any issue to get a quick answer before time, he would always say, softly and most assuring to me, Relax, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. To God’s glory, we have always crossed the bridges and jumped the hurdles too.

Your expectation is a force that brings to bear what you truly hope for. Expect good report. Never expect less than good success in that union because, it is of God and it is good. You will not suffer mishaps in marriage. Your marriage shall be a positive reference for other