Harmony


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
April 23, 2009


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

This week my husband and I celebrated 36 years of marriage. The time has flown by since that balmy evening in April when we said “I do” before our family and friends. One would have thought that the pomp and circumstance of the lovely candlelight church wedding would have surely guaranteed us a blissful life. But they would be mistaken. Through our own inexperience and naïveté, we didn’t have the skills or know- how to be able to effortlessly blend our two lives into one with harmony. Instead, we had our ups and downs. Babies came, careers needed long hours and several relocations to unfamiliar places added stress, then sickness and more, but we somehow managed to survive it all. And today, we remain each others’ best friend. We both were raised in Christian homes, but we tried often to go our own way and not always seek God. A big mistake! Those were the hardest times for us. Older and wiser now, we have come to realize that our common goals far outweigh any conflicts, with the most important goal, making God first and foremost in our life together. We go forward now with gratitude for the lessons learned, the commitment that continually renews daily and the humor that is the thread that binds us and helps us to get over the little things. We both are open to continually fine tuning our marriage and making positive changes and adjustments to accommodate each other. Marriage is always a work in progress and the work is worth it!

There were many conflicts in the Bible. We are taught to approach differences with a spirit of peace and to rise above the problems to see the common goal. Unfortunately, conflicts are often used as a time to abuse by blaming and criticizing each other. That’s when taking the high road comes in. I have heard it said that when we find ourselves in conflict, we should fly high with the eagles and leave the seagulls to themselves down below. That gives me a chuckle, but there is truth to that. We each have choices. So, in any relationship, whether it is work, family or a marriage, when we find that we must speak up, stand up for ourselves or make the wrong things right, calling God into the situation is the only way. Trying to resolve conflict through peace and love is admirable and must surely please God and that is truly taking the high road to harmony. While conflict and confrontation are never comfortable, we can expect to have to deal with it. If we approach differences with a spirit of peace and love, then we have done all we can do and we can trust God with the rest. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble .- 1 Peter 3:8 NIV