1. Integrity means to adhere to moral and ethical principles. Do you feel your husband is a man of integrity? Why or why not?
Yes, I believe he stands firm on what he believes to be moral and ethical, although I think his bar needs to be higher. I understand that I can not change his views and so I am praying that God will hold him to a stricter and more holy standard.
2. Is the man your husband appears to be to other people the same or different than the man you know him to be in private? How so? He is totally different around other people. He doesn't like to show weakness and when he is around other people, he seems to talk louder and with different vocabulary. Almost like he is trying to be assertive...even around his friends, I can see that he is different.
3. Is your husband for the most part a man of his word? Could he improve in that area? If so in what way? He is mostly a man of this world, but I can see that he is starting to leave that little by little and move more into the Christian/Heavenly thinking. He could definitely improve, but I think him progress is promising.
4. Is your husband easily deceived? Have you ever seen him being deceived in any way? Are you concerned that he might be deceived sometime in the future? Explain. I think Satan has a good hold on convincing him that he is weak and a failure...that it is important to always be strong and you can never ask for help. He is getting better at recognizing it.
5. Do you believe your husband would ever compromise what he knows to be the right thing to do? Explain. He obviously has in the past and like anyone trying to quit a sinful life style, there is always temptation to do it again, but I think he recognizes it and thus far, he has done a good job to thwart Satan's attempts.
6. Do you sense there are influences around your husband trying to sway him away from the paths of righteousness? A lot of his childhood friends and alcohol. Even though they are small portions of his life, I don't like the person he is when he is around either of them.
So on today's previous post, Mr B showed tremendous integrity and I am so proud of him. I am praying that the growing continues and what he knows to be true, he holds fast to.
One thing I am concerned about is his friends and the way he acts around them. There is no cursing in our home (ok, very rarely and under dire circumstances) but when he is around his friends, it seems to be in every sentence. When we are driving in the car, we listen to only christian music, but when his friends are around, break out Marylin Manson...gee whiz. No alcohol is ever purchased by us, but when his friends come over, they bring 20 packs and it's party time, although ever since our bad weekend, he has cut that down quite a bit. Are you getting my drift?
So what I am really praying for is that he recognize the path God wants him to be on and Mr B gives up the things that hinder him from it. I pray that I will be a good influence and proper support. I feel that when he knows that something is righteous, he goes to it full force, but the items I mentioned above, somehow don't apply. I just want him to be the person he is with me and an outstanding example of Christ.
4 comments:
Again this post is sooooooooooooooooooo powerful and the strength that our Almighty God has to keep Satan at bay. Satan tried to tempt Jesus remember and obviously our great God didn't bite...and I know we aren't Jesus but He certainly lives within us and can help fight those temptations and keep our minds on pure thoughts..I am proud of Mr. B for not taking satan's bait...and I am proud of you..for 'being silent' before you spoke, let it register what he had said..you are such a strong woman..I know 'this' comment should go on the other one I just realized I am on the most recent post..sorry.. You keep praying for his Integrity..it is so important...your strength is amazing!!!
I love your blog, but I can't help but thinking that maybe your husband's friends (and the way he acts around them) are the way he "really" is. I mean, isn't he choosing to be with his friends and to sometimes drink? I think that all men can be like this...where they need that time to decompress and express in whatever "manly" way they see fit. We women have our own ways as well. I think that those times shouldn't be up for us to judge as right or wrong or needing to be fixed. That is his time.
I do get that perhaps you think that maybe he is a different person around them. But is there any possibility that he is a different person around you, instead? Maybe he just feels like he needs to be "good" around you.
I don't know you or your family and it is certainly none of my business, but I just was wondering these things because I was once in a similar relationship. I honestly am asking these questions just to be curious and I mean no disrespect.
I am not offened by your Anonymous comment. I would like to say that I too believe he should have time to decompress, but even when he is decompressing, he should still be a man of God. He is striving to be that when his friends aren't around, but it seems to be lost when they are. God doesn't want him or any of us to half ass it and only be Godly when the situations are convient.
As for if that is really him, it may be. The reason I am reading this book and praying for him, is so God will change his heart.
I hope I answered your questions. They were very good and I did have to stop and think. :) Email me anytime...
I disagree with what Anonymous said.I am sure Mrs. B is glad you wrote, she wants all opinions as long as they are not judgemental directed at her and you were very 'nice....A different way to perceive it though...I think Satan can use any bait with any situation and he knows what he can do. He is the Ruler of this world. But Jesus lives inside of us telling us right from wrong.. tries to keep us on the straight paths....people think that just because you become a Christian that Satan 'would' stop bothering you...it's almost the complete opposite..I think he works harder on us and tries and tempts us more, destroy our marriages more because he already knows he's LOST our soul to our Almighty God...but if he can get us to act a certain way, do something or be someplace we shouldn't..we hurt our testimony and could cause others not to receive Christ...that's just my unsolicited 2 cents..:)
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