Passover: The Angel of Death Passed over my Marriage

The power of Christ to rescue us from impending death is alive today.  Passover commemorates the angel of death passing over Jewish homes in Egypt.  Those who painted their door frames in obedience and faith were spared the death of their first-born sons, and it was a miracle.

The angel of death passed over my home and marriage a few years ago.  It happened literally in an instant, and it was a profound miracle.

photo can be found at: https://flic.kr/p/746VYB

Bitterness and resentment towards my husband (who is a loving, respectful man) had filled me to the brim; built up to bubbling over.  "I do all the work around the house."  "He doesn't appreciate everything I do."  "He is not doing everything he could be doing."  "He isn't even trying."  "Why do I have to do this?"  "Why can't he help me more?"  "Everything is left on my shoulders.  I even have to go out and make money." "Can't he see what needs to be done?"  "I hate this."  "I hate the mess in our home!"  "I hate that I feel so overwhelmed."  "Life would be easier on my own."

I had been heroically holding these feelings in; keeping them to myself...until one one day when my receptacle of emotional garbage was ready to explode.  What a relief when my husband left to go to the store.  I just wanted to be alone.  But, a few minutes later, the phone rang.  I looked at the caller ID on the phone, and yelled out loud, "I don't want to talk to him!"  I was filled with anger.  Holding back the tears, I answered the phone.  I answered his questions as pleasantly as I could muster and hung up.  My insides were boiling with negative emotion.

 In the midst of this moment, feeling dark and angry, I cried out as loud as I could, "I don't want to feel this way!"  Tears streaming down my face, pleading from deep inside my soul, "Please, take these feelings away from me."

photo can be found at: https://flic.kr/p/746VYB

Never have I experienced before or since such a profound difference in a moment.  My oppressive cloud of darkness was removed.  In an instant, I felt peace.  Such a profound difference that I will forever remember that moment.

Up until this experience, feelings of resentment built up and fizzled over fairly regularly.  Afterwards, I have been able to speak more openly with my husband before the feelings become a problem.  I have pro-actively looked for his efforts, been more sensitive to his challenges, and asked him to share with me the things he is working on.

The change happened inside me, not in my circumstances, not in my husband.  It was the way I was feeling, the way I was viewing my life--our life--that grew my negative emotions.  I reached out to God with true desire to be rid of that yuck--and he took it away in the moment I asked him to.  I am so grateful, for I was on a path of resentment that would destroy any relationship.

The angel of death is busily destroying marriages and families, right now.  The toxic emotions that were festering in my soul are the sort of things that kill marriage, and many marriages die...because these feelings are so real.  There is so much joy to be experienced, so much good to see in each other and work to be done together.  The Passover rescue I experienced did not take my challenges away, but it took my emotional baggage away and gave me the ability to navigate them in a spirit of peace.  Reach out in faith to God in your hour of need, and He will come to your rescue in a way that is perfect for you.  Maybe you've already experienced such a time.  In the spirit of celebrating Passover, comment and share your rescue experience!

Happy Easter week, Everyone.