Marriage - Beauty in an Earthquake

San Andreas Fault - Central California 

Earth quakes are the result of two very large plates moving in opposite directions. Tremendous energy is stored as the opposing and jagged surfaces become locked with one another preventing movement much like the gears of a machine.  Over time this energy builds until the entangled edges yield to one another.  This stored energy is released resulting in tremendous heat, friction and shaking.  

If the entangled edges were to stubbornly resist breaking under the opposing force of the other, eventually the two masses would completely destroy themselves because of the resulting pressure that would build.  But instead, one locked edge, submits and allows itself to be fractured in light of the opposing edge.  The opposing edges follow suit and allow themselves to be fractured.  In rapid succession, this starts a chain reaction which through a violent transfer of energy, wears down each opposing surface piece by piece, bit by bit until the surfaces become smooth.  What was stored energy heading for destruction, has now been transformed into similar smooth surfaces gently coming to rest upon one another.  

Differences:

Isn't it funny how God takes two people with significant differences and brings them together?  People who were raised differently, people with different life experiences, people with different values, people with different interests, people with different tastes, people with different love languages, people with different expectations, and people with different ideas about marriage.   In many ways, we come together in marriage much like two large plates with rough and jagged edges, destined to be locked in opposing directions with trapped energies.  

The Blessings in Friction:

I have come to believe and experience that God uses the differences that we find in our marriage to perform spiritual surgery in our own hearts.  The truth is that we bring into our marriages our prideful hearts and selfish motivations (our rough and jagged edges).  If we are honest, significant emotional energy is developed when two prideful hearts collide and try to impose our individual wills on one another.  My best evidence for this statement is in the observation of my own heart.  When my will and my desire comes into opposition with my spouse, an unrighteous anger can form within me.  I am too quick to miss that often this friction is working to expose within me, unfair expectations and selfish motivations.  More than not, I stubbornly resist the opposition and hold fast to my prideful and selfish way.  

However, if we are to humble ourselves, seize the opportunity to die to self and leave room for God to work in our heart, a renewing will to take place.  Allow God to use your spouse to reveal to you the rough and jagged edges.  God is not after our comfort in these areas but seeks to mold us in the likeness of Christ.  He is after crucifixion that we might experience the true power in a resurrected marriage relationship.  That His life might be manifested in us that His love can freely flow through and unto our spouse!