Peace in My Heart - Brought a Smile to My Face

Written By Laurie MacArthur

As young brides just starting out, we sometimes have unrealistic dreams of what marriage should be. We can also have unrealistic expectations for our husbands which will surely lead to disappointment if we continue thinking that way. Such was the case for this very young bride. After vowing to love and honor my man, disillusionment quickly set in with the harsh realities of life and in my pride I blamed my problems on the one closest to me. Feeling sorry for myself, I learned to play the martyr. I listened to the preaching, confirming all of my husband’s faults, adding to the downward dark spiral of my thoughts. It wasn’t until I began to truly seek the Lord that there was any real hope in my life or my marriage.

When I got serious with God, He showed me the needs of my heart. The biggest need was a relationship with Him based on the truth of Scripture. It took months of soul searching, and when I finally gave up my will for His, my perspective began to change. I made a determination to listen to the preaching for myself because I needed it. Ever so slowly and gently, God began a work in my heart.

One change has been a long time in coming and is something that I have to continually work on. Many years of selfish, poor me thinking can give one a sour disposition. I determined some time ago to “tell my face” that it was happy and to share a smile more often with my best friend- my husband. I want him to see peace, joy, and contentment in my eyes. It encourages and shows him that he is “the man”, and lets him know that all is well. That is important for both of us.

Those determinations helped tremendously when we found ourselves in a grave, life threatening situation recently. Seeing my husband teetering on the brink of death was not easy, but having practiced the contented smile was definitely a huge advantage. Before approaching his hospital room each day, I determined to fix a smile on my face, and breathe a prayer, as I walked confidently to his side to share some of the strength that God had given me through the power of the Word and the prayers of the saints. My husband needed a calm, spiritually steadfast wife at his bedside. Of course, without the Lord, there would be no reason to smile in the first place! What a blessing it was to see the Lord bring joy and peace out of uncertainty and calamity. His peace put a smile on my face!