How to Honor Your Husband: Wage Peace

by Marilynn Chadwick

Today's world is busy and noisy. How can I lighten my husband's load and his heart? Help him have fun? I've learned that simple habits, like taking a day off together each week, honor David by allowing him to be refreshed.

We were also intentional about family vacations. Doing so allowed us to sustain our many years of raising a family and church ministry. We learned we could then return to the fray strengthened and with renewed enthusiasm.

Peace should be a priority in our homes. A peaceful home refreshes and blesses our families. But sometimes, peace doesn't come without a fight. If we are serious about "waging peace," it helps to know our enemy.

I've discovered that the quickest way to rob peace is through worry. Anxiety can drain my energy and quench calm faster than just about anything. What's more, it's contagious. When the kids were small, if I became worried, they seemed to absorb my anxiety and become fretful.

Worry is also exhausting. I agree with a friend who coined this acronym for W-O-R-R-Y: Worry Only Robs Rest from You. Worry says loud and clear that I don't trust God. But when I refuse to be anxious, when I trust God and remain peaceful, I create a climate of peace.

I have to confess I grew up as a world-class worrier. There were times early in our marriage when fear held me in its grip. Fear of storms, fear of intruders, fear of illness, fear of flying. You name it—I probably wrestled with it.

But I learned to be ruthless. Through the promises in God's Word, lots of prayer, and putting my faith into action, I wrestled many of my fears to the ground. I'm not completely worry-free, but I can tell you I no longer feel like a prisoner to fear.

These twin invaders, fear and anxiety, can wreak havoc on a home and a marriage. God doesn't treat fear and worry as small things. He tells us to "cast all our anxiety on him" because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

He commands us to "be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6 NKJV). As with any stubborn problem, the first step is to confront anxiety head-on. Call it out for the enemy that it is. We may find that our repentance is soon followed by times of refreshing and revival. A peace that passes all earthly understanding. This is what happens when we "wage peace."

This series is adapted from Marilynn Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!