Becoming a Better HusbandSample

Looking for Areas of Growth

I have never forgotten what C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity about how we acquire virtues. “Very often,” he said, “the only way to get a quality is to start behaving as if you had it already.”

As husband and wife, it’s time to sit down and begin to discuss areas in your marriage where you as a husband need to start showing some leadership. Ask your wife to point out for you areas where you can be leading her and your family. It may be something as simple as initiating daily prayer with your wife. It may involve setting up a savings account to plan for future needs, and then making regular deposits.

Examine the major areas of your family and your life—your faith, your marriage, your family, your job, your relationships with friends, your service to the community, your physical health and well-being, your stewardship over the resources God has given you, and your recreational time—and decide where you need to begin to take some initiative and lead.

As you lead, make sure to check your heart. Are you making decisions that you believe will bring honor and glory to Christ and that will lead both you and your wife to grow in your relationship with him? How do you stand to gain from the decisions you’re making?

Remember, when you exercise your leadership for selfish purposes, you’re abusing the important responsibility God has given you.