Game or strategy

The family is the most interesting and most complex enterprise that has ever existed in the Universe. This is that closed territory where he and she study, know, love and delight each other. All their inner discoveries about each other enrich hearts and open new possibilities for further development of relationships.

When Jesus is present in these hearts, then He also contributes to building a strong family and constantly blesses these relationships.

A great danger to family happiness is represented by this world with its temptations, carnal human nature which always tries to put selfishness on the pedestal of relationships, the enemy of the soul with constant attacks from outside and my wrong choice of life priorities. And only thanks to God's grace can one resist all temptations and seductions and overcome them with unconditional love.

Family happiness is that goal which is worth setting in any family and decisively moving toward it together. To achieve this goal not all means are good, but only what is approved by God and has common sense.

Agape love is the driving force awakening my enthusiasm and endowing me with all kinds of ideas about how to improve relationships, how to serve my wife and how to delight the heart of the one I chose. Love is the eternal engine in building everything beautiful and pure. It doesn't need to play theater or create an illusion of sincere relationships. Love is the most correct behavior toward one's life friend.

Not everything is open to me in questions of happiness, and I constantly learn to apply new strategies in achieving this goal. If I don't know how to care for my spouse's needs, then, understanding that this needs to be done, I choose this path and begin to implement what was planned. Even if I don't know how, moved by love, I begin to learn this and bring this new experience into the treasury of my practical skills. And something good comes of it.

It is very important to understand that if the same action is called differently, then perception from outside will also be unequal. If I decided to care for my wife and called it playing a caring husband, then most likely such care will not be accepted with joy. But if I call this same action a new relationship strategy, then they will meet me halfway and assist in all questions.

The culture of surrounding society has its influence on my mentality, and this forms me in accordance with generally accepted standards. The church also has its own mentality in accordance with God's laws and teaches to accept the purity of the Gospel into one's life. And all this I bring into my family, where we already have our understanding of relationships and begin to build what will be ours forever.

When I consciously choose the path of unconditional love, then this spirit begins to form my consciousness in accordance with God's mentality, taking into account the culture of the society in which I live, and our church values.

Love teaches me to consider the needs and expectations of other people, to relate with understanding to their features, to take into account their worldview and, if necessary, to adapt to each individually. Apostle Paul wrote that he became all things to all people, to win at least some for salvation. 1 Cor. 9:19-22. Even this can be called hypocrisy if there is no love at the base, but lies a desire to glorify oneself. God will not accept anything good that is done with wrong motive or false foundation. Jesus repeatedly condemned the hypocrisy of those to whom great trust was shown and spiritual authority was given.

Any of my playing at something or someone will sometime tire me or form in me a habit of always being such. But coming trials will test the strength of all my actions and reveal what is firm and constant.

Love is not a game at something good, but my changed consciousness which suggests to me the choice of the best strategy in achieving some goal. Family is the most interesting long-term project for embodying all God's designs regarding two people who decided to become one whole person and be happy in this wholeness.

Family happiness is the result of correctly chosen love strategy embodied in our relationships. This is a whole science that concerns only me and her and waits for when we will comprehend it with all our heart, discovering new laws of our happiness for ourselves and embodying them in our life.

My innate selfishness will always try to bring its values into our relationships, but love will not cease to keep my carnal nature on its back, not allowing it to raise its disgusting head.

Our union with God gives us many advantages in building a happy family, but does not protect us from mistakes or from choosing wrong strategies. God grants us complete freedom of action, but at the same time desires to pour streams of His light on us and give us wisdom in knowing new revelations about family happiness that need to be studied.

For example, my wife and I decided that intimate life should delight us every evening and bring us true family happiness. But as a result this began to destroy our mental and physical health and bring many problems into relationships. God sent us light in this question and revealed that abstinence puts everything in the right places. We accepted this light, began to live in it and appreciated these advantages, understanding that satiation is destructive.

Love teaches us to love each other, laying a strong foundation at the base of our relationships, and God's light calls us to build a strong building on this foundation. And wisdom from above shows us how to apply all God's light in our family so as not to miss anything good and important.

Although we have some idea about happiness, to have it we need to begin learning this and embodying the received knowledge in our life, and for this special wisdom from above, from God, and our joint efforts are necessary.

Love knows the spirit of family happiness and will always incline my heart in this direction. And I won't have to play some role, but, being moved by the spirit of love, I will realize all good strategies in our family world.

Love is not a game at something good, but a strategy for improving my worldview in accordance with God's principles and rules. This is a strategy for improving the quality of life of my neighbors and relatives. This is a strategy for successful embodiment of God's designs in what and whom I touch.

Love is eternal life with eternal blessings, and it never ends. Any game has its beginning and its end. But the very process of playing can change my consciousness and bring something new and unusual into my life. Playing a caring person, I can taste the blessing of such behavior and remain in it. Or I can continue playing this, flattering my vanity and receiving benefit.

Love guards my heart from such mistakes and makes everything correct, strong and constant.

While I lived alone, I didn't really understand the need for love, but my family made this need pressing and relevant, and God embodied this in my heart at my request.

1. Please read 1 John 3:18; Rom. 12:9; 1 Cor. 13:4-8; Prov. 17:17; 18:2; 22:11; Luke 7:47; Eph. 5:28; 1 Thess. 4:9; Matt. 23:27-28; Job 20:5; 27:8; 2 Cor. 3:5-6; Rom. 7:14-25 in light of this lesson.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your memory?

3. What did you understand from this topic?

4. Is it worth monitoring how you name your actions and plans?

5. What is the difference between a game and a strategy?

6. Do you already feel how love draws you to good deeds?

7. Is it worth remembering that God is Love, and he who abides in love abides in God?

8. Why doesn't love need to play theater?

9. Did you read the Biblical verses that were suggested above?

10. What do you understand by strategy? How does this look in life?

11. Why did Jesus condemn the Pharisees for hypocrisy, since they did such good deeds?

12. How do family relationships differ from church ones? Why is what can be practiced in the family sometimes unacceptable in church?

13. What advantage does sincere love have over professional acting?

14. How can I understand whether I love my other half or am playing someone?

15. There are happy families, and there are unhappy marriages. Is there something neutral?