March 28 - Growing Together on the Journey

(submitted by Chuck and Arlene Price)

“Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

God never brings people together just to benefit one person. This principle applies whether we are single or married. The Lord intends for us to learn from one another. This is particularly true of the people that are closet to us regardless if they are in our small group Bible Study, a Sunday School Class, a circle of friends, or our family.

In fact apart from the dynamic role that these individuals play in our lives we will never come to full maturity spiritually. Let alone miss out on fulfilling one of the greatest desires of the human heart which is to experience intimacy with God and with those whom we love.

Through our nearly 37 years of marriage and ministry together we have learned that although we are both believers and are having pretty much the same experiences – that does not necessarily mean that we are learning the same things at the same time. That is because God is working in each of our lives in a specific way.

That does not mean that one person is more spiritual than the other or that one lesson is more important than the other

The most important thing is that we are learning to trust God more through the circumstances, learning more of His character and seeing more of Him

Then as we share together, we learn from one another

That is what the teaching on the body is all about – one part of the body is not more important than the other. It takes the whole body working together in unity. We have learned that this lesson is true also in marriage.

The trap that Satan would have us get into is in thinking that the other person because they are not learning our lessons our way is not as spiritual. If we fall prey to this kind of thinking we will find that it destroys our unity and lessens our power together.

We are on a journey of Faith. We are on it together, so let us build one another up along the way!