Marriage is like a man and woman going into a room and taking off their clothes with the light on. You get to see each other’s blemishes that have been hidden by clothes earlier. One of the greatest discoveries would be your partner’s attitude towards money. For some, the discovery is not immediate. And in a situation where one of the partners has lived beyond his or her means prior to marriage, it seems like the first thing they notice, once the doors are closed after the ceremony.
Money is a major part of human life. And money represents different things at different times, to different people.
Money represents time; money is a reward we get after spending hours of our life at working hard. Money is a problem solver. Money is a seed that can be sown to multiply it. Money is a gift to be shared with others that do not have.
Money gives a form of confidence.
Everyone should have some money under his or her control. By this I mean money that can be spent without having to answer to anyone on how and why.
Money can build walls between people in any form of relationship and this is even worse in marriage.
Most couples no matter how spiritual, educated or in love will disagree over money at one point in time or the other and where this is not well managed, light cracks begin to appear in the marriage.
I once read that when sex is good in a marriage, it is 10% and when it is bad it is 90%. I want to relate the same to money, when finance is good in a marriage; it is 10% and when it is bad it is 90%.
In the light of the times we are in today, I want to focus on when the finance situation is bad.
Everyone has a financial situation or the other, sometimes it seems as though marriage places a magnifying lens on our financial situation. Immediately after marriage your status quo changes, especially here in Africa, now you’re expected to participate more in family events and your own cost of living is growing too.
Whenever things are tight like this in families, there’s lot of pressure on husband and wife, or the intending couple planning to get married.
The stock markets have not boomed like everyone expected, plans have been made based on expectations that have not been met. Instead we have a situation where banks are trying to recovered monies borrowed out. And now a festive season is about the corner, what do we do? Where do we run to?
The last thing we are expected to do as believers is to take the pressure on one another and ruin the spirit of the season.
Love should help us bind more to each other, love can conquer all, fit your budget into what you have and enjoy a lower budget holiday bearing in mind that the next will be greater!
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen; though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted; though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to GOD. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on GOD’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain! Hab 3:17-19 (MSG)
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Hab 3:17-19 (KJV)
So put up the Christmas lights and start playing the Christmas jingles, put everyone around you in the holiday mood.
Bring down every imagination and high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God and enjoy this Christmas.
All things are working together for your good!
Lots of Love
omolola ezeifeoma
