"Now, how does God use marriage to conform us to the image of His Son? Now listen to me - we have to be very careful with our words here - but it's nonetheless true. God says He will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear. That's what the bible says. God has given me a wife who is strong in all the areas where she must be strong in order for me not to be tempted beyond what I can bear. God has orchestrated those strengths in her. Now, God has orchestrated the weaknesses in my life. He has sovereignly worked and given me a woman that is weak in all the areas where I most do not want her to be weak. Why? To drive me absolutely out of my cotten-picking mind. No, why has He done that? Because He wants to conform me to the image of Christ! And what does that mean? The very things you sing most about and appreciate most about Jesus Christ are the very things you don't want in your life! What is the main thing? Unconditional Love... See, you're in a marriage and you see these weaknesses in your wife and because of those weaknesses, you think that you're locked into a dead-end marriage - It has no purpose, there's no reason, you just lost out, you made the wrong choice, all these other things... Now, if you'll believe God, those weaknesses can cause your life to be filled with more purpose than you ever imagined! She's weak in an area - she's a certain way in an area that you wish she was totally different and it actually not only bothers you, it hurts you. But now you know something! God has orchestrated that, giving you such a woman, so that you will learn to love even though she doesn't meet even the most important conditions that you have! That's what God desires... That's what He desires. And you will find joy and rest in laying down and destroying those silly humanistic speculations, following the Word of God. The sovereignty of God - there's not a maverick molecule in the universe."
