Overwhelmed And Underprotected

protection - Overwhelmed and Underprotected

If anyone does not provide for his own, . . . he . . . is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8

The pressures of constantly managing their home overwhelmed Alice. Bill collectors called her daily about overdue accounts and bounced checks. The kids demanded her help and attention with activities, homework, and sibling rivalries. She worked forty hours a week and was active in various church activities at night. Any “leftover” time Alice had she spent caring for her ailing mother.

Alice’s husband, Sam, couldn’t imagine why she was so resentful and uninterested in sex. But as Sam learned what it meant to protect his wife, Alice found more energy, interest, and romance.

Sam began to understand that to protect Alice meant providing support with the kids and taking over the family finances. He learned that for Alice these supportive gestures were crucial to her freedom from exhaustion and crucial to their unity in marriage. Sam began to understand that although Alice was extremely capable and said she was handling everything well, deep down inside she needed Sam’s protection. She needed his participation with the kids so that she would no longer feel alone in her parenting. She needed him to take the pressure of the bill collectors and to establish a new system for their family budget. Alice even asked Sam to help her say no when people from the church asked her to take on more responsibility. Sam and Alice agreed that before she took on any more commitments at church, she would discuss them with Sam. They realized that he could protect her by helping her feel the freedom to decline requests without feeling guilty. This step freed up Alice’s time and her emotional energy.

Husbands are charged with the huge responsibility of providing protection and support for your spouses. When we take that responsibility, our marriages are more likely to prosper.

In what ways will you protect and support your spouse today?