A PERFECT COMPANION DOES NOT GUARANTEE SATISFACTION - Marriage Counseling With The Wonderful Counselor - Part XXII

Sometimes in relationships things don't always go very well. Most of us who have had any experience in this area know that this is an understatement. Often, because of the disillusionment and disappointment with the present circumstances of a relationship, people are tempted to believe that if only their husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend were more attractive or more intelligent or just much better, everything would be alright. This is not necessarily true. For if it were possible to unite us with the person whom we believe to be everything that we are looking for, it would not take very long for us to discover that we may not be all that we thought we were. Often we think better circumstances or better people would make our lives much better when in actuality, there is something in us that could work against our "perfect relationship." When we say perfect, we are speaking about someone who says and does the right things at the right times. Would a perfect boyfriend or girlfriend or perfect husband or wife make us happy ? This is what we will look at in this week's post...

A PERFECT COMPANION DOES NOT GUARANTEE SATISFACTION

Eve had a perfect home and a perfect husband who had pure affections, perfect thoughts and control of his appetites and passions. Yet, Eve was not satisfied.

What can we learn from this ?

Our happiness comes not from what is around us, but from what is within us; not from what we have, but from what we are.

It's not what's around us or what we have that is the source of true happiness. Happiness depends upon what are and what we have within us. Apart from Christ, all that we have is self and self can never be satisfied and self will never keep a person happy.

Adam was a perfect type of man. Every quality of mind was well proportioned, each having a distinctive office, and yet dependent one upon another for the full and proper use of any one of them. As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of noble height, and of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and was well proportioned. His features were perfect and beautiful. Adam was in the perfection of manhood--the noblest of the Creator's works. He was in the image of God, but a little lower than the angels. (James 3:2/1 John 4:18,12/Psalms 37:37/Matthew 5:48/Hebrews 2:7/Genesis 1:31,6:4)

Man came from the hand of God perfect in organization and beautiful in form. All his faculties of mind and body were fully developed and harmoniously balanced. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. Before his fall Adam was free from the results of the curse. When he was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He was created perfect in thought and in action. (Proverbs 12:5,16:3/Galatians 5:22,23/Matthew 5:5,8)

Eve had all that her wants required. There was nothing lacking to make her happy, but intemperate appetite desired the fruit of the only tree that God had withheld. She had no need of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, but she permitted her appetite and curiosity to control her reason. She was perfectly happy in her Eden home by her husband's side; but, like restless modern Eves, she was flattered that there was a higher sphere than that which God had assigned her. Eve had everything to make her happy. She was surrounded by fruit of every variety. Yet the fruit of the forbidden tree appeared more desirable to her than the fruit of all the other trees in the garden of which she could freely eat. She was intemperate in her desires. (Genesis 2:8-16/Proverbs 10:22/Hebrews 13:5)

According to the Bible, Eve was overcome through her senses. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6) Eve heard the voice of the serpent, saw, touched and tasted the fruit and more than likely smelled it.

For the sake of gratifying the taste, Eve transgressed the command of God. He had given her everything her wants required, yet she was not satisfied. Ever since, her fallen sons and daughters have followed the desires of their eyes and of their taste. Eve was beguiled by the serpent to believe that God would not do as He said He would. "Ye shall not surely die," said the serpent. Eve ate and imagined that she felt the sensations of a new and more exalted life. She bore the fruit to her husband, and that which had an overpowering influence upon him was her experience. (Genesis 3:13/Ecclesiastes 1:16/2 Corinthians 11:3) (Human experiences which rely upon senses alone are not always safe or adequate guides for making decisions)

The serpent had said that she should not die, and she felt no ill effects from the fruit, nothing which could be interpreted to mean death, but, just as the serpent had said, a pleasurable sensation which she imagined was as the angels felt. Her experience stood arrayed against the positive command of Jehovah, and Adam permitted himself to be seduced by the experience of his wife. (Genesis 3:6,17/1 Timothy 2:14)

Adam and Eve were a perfect couple who had everything they needed to be happy. It is highly unlikely that a loving God did not supply all that was necessary for their pleasure and enjoyment. There was no emotional insecurity or lack of human love and intimacy. Material, intellectual, physical, emotional and all needs were met. Yet, they were offered and accepted a false experience being deceived thereby with the promise of a better life than the one they were experiencing. There is a such thing as a right experience and a wrong experience and depending upon which one is cultivated, the character is shaped for eternal life or eternal death.

Having all that we humanly need or all that we humanly desire will never satisfy us unless Christ is supreme in our affections and the chief cornerstone of our character purifying all our desires.

By the grace of God, we will continue this study in another post.

Have a wonderful evening.

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