One More Night with the Frogs

If you were to talk to 100 people and ask them what they want out of their marriage I believe you would get multiple answers. You would hear everything from direction to passion. What they are saying in a way is they are ok with their marriage but not excited. They love their spouse but they are not engaged and they certainly don't know their purpose. Most would say they didn't even know that they have a purpose, needless to say a purpose together. Sadly, they have adapted to average, even though almost everybody wants more.

When was the last time we went into a restaurant for a special evening asking for an average meal at an average table with an average waiter or waitress? Never! If it is a special evening we want a really good restaurant, a table not by the restroom, and we want a waiter or waitress that is there attending to our every need. If all these wants are met we have no problem leaving a tip that matches the service. Why? Because when something is special, average is not acceptable. We want the best. We want excellence. This is true in almost every area of our lives except our marriages. We are entirely too quick to settle on an average relationship. Always wanting more but never demanding the best. This is really a shame and adds great insight into why over 50% of all marriages end in divorce. According to Psychology Today, 17% of the remaining under 50% are actually unhappy, and only 60% of that 50% would actually qualify their marriage as satisfactory. Could an unsatisfactory marriage be the result of settling for average? The answer is a profound yes. Settling never brings about the greatest fulfillment in our lives. Only when we strive for something greater, no matter how small the progress, do we live a life of true fulfillment. As human beings, we recognize this fact in almost every area of life except marriage. Why? Purpose! Most successful people either know their "why/purpose" or are working to discover their "why/purpose" in their business, or playtime. Few people realize their marriage has a purpose as well.

Greg and Julie Gorman of Gorman Leadership and authors of "2 Are Better Than 1", say the actual percentage of couples that do not know their purpose is between 90 and 95 percent. This is unacceptable and curable. However, it is only curable if we recognize there is more to marriage than existing and accepting the status quo. A good marriage is more than having children that we raise to feel they are more special than the relationship of the ones that created them.   Having an exceptional relationship like everything else above average requires a decision followed by action. Read the passage of scripture below. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, “Plead with the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go so they can offer sacrifices to the Lord .” “You set the time!” Moses replied. “Tell me when you want me to pray for you, your officials, and your people. Then you and your houses will be rid of the frogs. They will remain only in the Nile River.” “Do it tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. “All right,” Moses replied, “it will be as you have said. Then you will know that there is no one like the Lord our God. Exodus 8:8‭-‬10 NLT Did you see it? Did you see here how asinine it is when Pharaoh summons Moses to remove what is irritating him, causing complete discomfort, and that has become totally unbearable to not only him but his country, and then when asked when he would like the frogs to leave says, "Tomorrow." Tomorrow!! Are you kidding me! This has to be the best example of complete insanity I have ever heard. Or, is it? How many times have we had opportunities to grow, develop, and improve our marriages, and then we choose to do something of less importance over the opportunity. Or, most of us think we don't choose at all. Well, no choice is a choice, and is always the wrong choice. Better to best will take investment. It will take a decision that says I will not have one more night with the frogs. Then take action and start removing those stupid frogs. If you agree with my statements above that there is more for your marriage and a path to excellence... and that path is in having a marriage life of purpose. Decide now that you want to be a part of the 5-10% that know and take action to live out their purpose. Start now discovering that purpose. However, I realize that most of us are more like Pharaoh than we would like to admit. Most of us instead of doing what we know we should do to create a marriage of purpose, by making and managing our decision, will say we want a great marriage. However, our actions will be asking for "Just one more night with the frogs".