Sunday, March 15, 2015

Should Ken Meet My Deepest Needs?


For many years after I married Ken, I was VERY unhappy. He was NOT meeting my deepest needs. I am reading a book by a very popular Christian author and psychologist {I prefer not to give their names since I have no desire to hurt any other Christian's ministry, even when I disagree with them on some points.}

He wrote this comment, "Our sovereign God has made no mistake in assigning us the ministry of touching our spouses' deepest needs." I spent many years expecting Ken to meet my deepest needs and he never measured up. I married him to meet my deepest needs and he failed me. I was miserable. Our marriage was not happy. If I had read this book many years ago, I would have thought, "See, this is why I am not happy. Ken is not ministering to my deepest needs."

I have found most marriage books to be like this. Ken asked me the morning after I read this quote to him what my deepest needs were. I told him I couldn't think of any. I went to take a bath. Many times, I think up new posts to write while taking a bath or responses to questions that are asked me. A light bulb went off and I figured out my answer!

I don't think about my deepest needs anymore. That was a dead end road to me. When I learned who I am in Christ, all the riches I have in Him, the promises He has given me, that I am complete in Him and a new creature, I no longer focus upon my deepest needs. Jesus has already met them. He paid a very heavy price to meet them. They are met in Him.

Every morning, I spend time in His Word. Every morning, I weep tears of joy for how blessed I am to know Him and being daily reminded about how awesome He is! I just LOVE Him. HE has filled my deepest need so I am filled to the brim so I can begin loving and serving others with abandon, not worrying about my needs going unmet since He has promised to meet all of my needs.

A young women in the chat room asked me if there is anything I could have done to realize earlier in my life all that I am in Christ and the emotions that well up because of it. I have always spent time in His Word. I have always loved Him but I have to say it was the Pearls who opened my eyes through the study of His Word who guided me to understand who I am in Christ and Debi's book showed me how to be a godly, submissive wife. It has still been a journey since then. Matthew Henry's book A Discourse on Meekness and Quietness of Spirit has helped me better understand what a meek and quiet spirit looks like. It's easier to respect Ken now knowing this.

God has used an older woman, godly Bible teachers, Ken and men of old to get me to the point that I am now. I am sure my physical sufferings and trials have been used by Him to teach me many of His truths also. I have never been the type to ask "Why me?" since I know that I am nothing without Him and I deserve nothing but have been blessed with His overflowing mercy and grace. 

If you don't know Him, seek Him and you will find Him. He is not hiding. He wants ALL to come to the knowledge of Him. He is not willing that ANY  should perish. Spend daily time in His Word. Get to know the Creator of the universe. It is time that is NEVER wasted and only benefits you and those you touch for He promises that His Word will never come back void.

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:11


Comments (19)

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Well said, Robin. It is idolatry to expect our deepest needs that only Christ can meet and it very destructive to the marriage.
Wonderful post. Beautiful Scripture.
1 reply · active 524 weeks ago
Lady Virtue's avatar

Lady Virtue · 524 weeks ago

Good post, Lori. I married late--certainly not by choice--but the Lord taught me before I wed not to expect my husband to shoulder the burden of meeting my deepest needs. To put that sort of pressure on a man will definitely break him. Men are the stronger of the two sexes, but they are not THAT strong. No one is.

A lot of pop music songs influence us to idolize the one we love (he's/she's my everything; he/she is my all in all; I'd die if he/she left, etc.). That is an unbiblical way to regard any person. Only Jesus is worthy of worship and praise.
1 reply · active 524 weeks ago
Yes, today's culture does this way more than culture's long ago did and it has been devastating on marriages and societies.
I too can relate to this....Praise Him. "I don't think about my deepest needs anymore. That was a dead end road to me. When I learned who I am in Christ, all the riches I have in Him, the promises He has given me, that I am complete in Him and a new creature, I no longer focus upon my deepest needs. Jesus has already met them. He paid a very heavy price to meet them. They are met in Him."
1 reply · active 523 weeks ago
Yes, praise Him from whom ALL blessings flow!
I think when it comes to deepest needs, i think that can be a very interesting thing. What makes us complete? Is it our fancy cars, big homes or big bank accounts! Is that a need, obviously not. What is NEED is a deep understanding of the gospel. We have to be careful when it comes to wants vs needs. No one except Christ can fulfill us. The word "need" used by Lori in today's blog is interesting. Was it really need or expectation she was talking about? Because expectations always leads to disappointment. It made me think. As it pertains to a husband, i believe anyway it is our duty to hopefully have our wives feel loved, respected and most importantly safe in the environment in which she lives. Because when that happens,everything else just seems to fall in place. At least in most circumstances.
1 reply · active 524 weeks ago
Most women look for their husbands to fill their deepest needs of purpose, peace, significance, value, and worth. These can only be filled by the Lord. Yes, husbands should protect and provide for their wives but, too often, wives lay way too heavy of a burden upon their husbands to give them something that they are unable to give them.
So true Lori and when we as husband cannot live up to these unrealistic expectations we feel like have failed. It's so hard emotionally for husbands and yet most women i bet do not see the emotional toll it takes on us men. I know in my marriage i often feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations and usually fail at it. But in the moment it happens, it's my desire to be a good loyal husband and do as would please The Lord. I hope i don't sound arrogant but i feel that my wife and wives i know can put the pressure on us, knowing we will fail so they an keep the upper hand!! I hope i explained that right, but i take my role in my marriage very seriously and it hurts me to see my wife disappointed.
2 replies · active 523 weeks ago
This is why I teach women to not have expectations put upon their husbands but work on becoming a godly, submissive help meet who meets their husband's needs and learns what pleases him, since we reap what we sow!
Rob,

It is a prison of sorts to be under the rule and control of a wife's disappointments. I felt it for far too many years even as I tried to please my wife, yet seemed to perpetually fail at something done wrong. If you expect to find freedom from the chains of a spouse's disappointments by finally fulfilling all her needs, good luck on that treadmill. Your wife may not be able to describe her own perceived needs because she is unhappy with herself, Those who are always disappointed do not know Jesus the way they should, because knowing Him is all we really need.

Freedom comes from first knowing who we are in Christ and the pardon for all our sins on the cross. Then setting our own personal values that line up with God's values knowing that it is only failure in these values that may hurt us. A wife's constant displeasure should no longer be something that hurts you, and instead you must stay true to your values no matter what she does, or how big her frown is each day. When you get hurt you enter into her crazy cycle and stop joyfully leading.

Hopefully your wife will soon find freedom in Christ by recognizing who she is in Him, and setting her own values based solely on God's Word. Go to www.nogreaterjoy.org and download Romans 6-8 then listen to it 3-4 times with your wife. Then get the Ephesians series and listen to that together. Help show your wife what a Christian should look and feel like, because ultimately it is the Spirit of God who not only meets all of our needs, but also gives us a new heart and new behaviors that go with a completely transformed life, in Christ.
It is easy to understand how younger women who have not had much life experience, marry and expect something "more" then what they find day to day. There is so much emphasis on getting married, and less education on what being married really means. It takes some time as we spiritually mature and grow in Christ to begin to understand our role within His kingdom. Add to that, the maturity that simply comes with every birthday - for a husband and wife. It would be so much more meaningful if there was more emphasis placed on marriage and not "getting married"...this would likely help many who feel disappointment after the honeymoon starts to wear off.
1 reply · active 523 weeks ago
I agree. There should be MUCH more time given to teaching about marriage than preparing the wedding. Older women need to pick up the ball and get to work!
My husband and I were just having this discussion. I do agree that in Christ our deepest needs are already met. I learned this the hard way during a 1 year separation. I unknowingly had made my husband and idol and because of God's faithfulness He used that season to reveal to me that my need for love acceptance and security were to be found and him. I have the real thing and I kinda see my relationship with my husband as just icing on the cake. But a t the same time I have learned that a man has a legitimate need to feel respected and I seek to meet that need is that wrong? Is it wrong for my husband to want me to meet that need or should he just get that need met in Christ and not expect it from me. These were some of the questions my husband and I were discussing last night. We know that Christ meets our deepest needs but didn't He give us the amazing gift of marriage to picture and display His relationship to th e church and also for some of our desires for love, respect, encouragement, companionship, and sex to be fulfilled. Not that you can't make it if your spouse is not meeting those needs but it's one way God uses your spouse to minister to you.Maybe that's what the author meant.
2 replies · active 523 weeks ago
Absolutely, Jessica. We are to model Christ and the church yet when I think of deepest needs, I think of value, worth, significance, and purpose which no spouse should be counted on to meet. These needs are met in Jesus. Yes, spouses should give each other the things you mention but if they are not, they can still live a worthy, purpose filled life because Jesus lives inside of them!
I completely agree!!! That is how I lived the first 5 years of my marriage i just couldn't see it.I think that very thing is what has caused the destruction of many marriages. Maybe one or both spouses are so self absorbed that they are blind to the fact that what they desire can only be found in a relationship with our savior. The one who truly fulfills and then frees you to love selflessly and to view marriage not from the perspective of what can I get out of this but what can I give. How can I show my spouse the love Jesus has shown me.
Define need. What I want and what I need are two different things, and when I'm fuming, and start a mental list. I find that my husband has/does what I need, just not what I want.

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