The Business of Marriage

by Carla Green

Genesis 2:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” 

How do you look at your marriage in business?  Is it a separate thing that you try to balance?  Are you in business together?  Do you have the same goals and purpose?  What role do each of you play?  It seems like there are many ways that this could go.

• Your spouse really doesn't have anything to do with your business or your work.
• On the good side you are able to balance it and compartmentalize your life and the two shall never mix.
• On the bad side, it bleeds over all the time and causes a host of problems.  Your spouse feels like they have to compete with your job.  They don't understand it and question your decision making.  Your attitude at home is directly related to the kind of day you have had.
• You are both involved in each others work, maybe you even own a business together.  You try to explain what you do but may not offer all things.  Or you have different ends to why you are in business.

I'm sure there are several other scenarios or degrees of the ones above.  But imagine a marriage where you know the purpose God has given your spouse and maybe even your marriage.  You become partners in the purpose for your life and you are the best asset each other has in the work that you do. Your spouse becomes your encourager, your spiritual director, your best sounding board for making solid decisions, and your cheerleader.  What if it has more to do with integration than balance?

My husband, Rick and I have very different leadership skills and types.  However, he is fully aware and supportive of my purpose and often hears from God on the direction I need to take.  He provides insight into what decisions have life and those that don't.  The ones that he would not support used to frustrate me but I started to realize that he wasn't wrong and often discerned from God what I was too close to to hear.  He also has a purpose on his life and I work at ways that he has more room to align his work with that purpose.  We dream and plan together.  We network and research for each other.  I have increased my resources by partnering with my spouse.  I don't know about everyone else but I have limited energy in a day and arguing with my spouse is not a good way to move my purpose forward, but partnering with him exponentially helps God's purpose for my life.

God knew what He was doing when He sent Adam a help mate or partner and He knows what He is doing now.  My questions is are you an asset to your spouse in their work?  Are you promoting their purpose?  What is the purpose God has given your marriage?  Get together on this, it's totally worth it.