Your strength can also be your weakness!

As it pertains to marriage, it is imperative that you remember that your spouse's strength can also be their weakness, and your strength can also be your weakness.

For example, my husband is a strong, decisive, confident leader.  If seen from the negative angle, or if he misuses his strengths or acts in his flesh rather than being led by the Spirit, he can come off or be perceived as bossy, domineering, and oppressive.

I am an optimist who loves to learn from each experience in my life, and I love to teach valuable lessons from my experiences (as you may have noticed!).  If seen from the negative angle, or if I misuse my strength or act in the flesh rather than being led by the Spirit, I can come off as drilling a point to death, and too insistent that the deeper lessons be seen by experiences.

I have seen people whose strength can be organization, but can be a weakness when it becomes obsessive, controlling or demanding.  I have seen a strong opinion and ability to stand up for what is right in the face of opposition, which is a strength, become a weakness when it becomes bossy, hostile, and argumentative.

It is important to remember that your spouse's strength misused can become a weakness, and that your strength misused can become your weakness.

Challenge:  Make it a point to examine how you could be misusing your strengths so that they can be perceived as bothersome or troublesome to your spouse...  List what your strengths are, and determine how, when not used being led by the Spirit, it can become your weakness...  and

Give some space to your spouse and let an inward voice remind you that their misused strength is something you can usually appreciate when used correctly.  You will benefit from their strengths when used correctly, but unfortunately sometimes you'll have to make it through when they're not!