A Different Attitude
I’m glad it helped you. I’m glad things are much better now.
You’re saying all the right things in this note.
Another thing I suggest you do is to think about everything in a positive way. As you read your Bible, notice the situations that God’s people are in when they are praising God, rejoicing in his Word, exulting in knowing him and being known by him. No one has a nice cushy life. Everyone is either being chased around by the bad guys, being flogged and thrown in prison or being hounded by other crazy circumstances. And even though life is tough, everyone, who isn’t sinning, is rejoicing and telling everyone around them to rejoice. Imitate them. Become like them.
As really clear examples read Psalm 119 and Philippians. Notice that the psalmist is being hounded by enemies. Notice also, that Paul is writing to the Philippians from prison, and they received his letter while being persecuted for their faith. Your husband isn’t perfect, but he’s a lot better than the situations those folks found themselves in. Despite their situation, they worshipped and gloried and delighted in the Lord.
Also, as you read, notice that the Bible tells us that when we rejoice in the Lord it has a infectious effect on those around us. When we rejoice, others join in with us. They may not even know why they are more joyful. Our attitude drags people into being like us. Love also changes people. It changes us. God is love and he changes us. We love others and that changes us. We love others and it changes them. The same goes for living any aspect of the Christian life.
I recently had a talk with a couple about how to be the best evangelists they could be. I suggested that living the Christian life in front of their non-Christian friends until their friends asked them why they were different would make the whole process much easier. Of course, they had to be different and this meant that they had to walk the talk and not just talk the talk.
Another way of thinking about all this might be to think of everyone around you as enemies of the cross of Christ. How should you be living with them? Well, you need to love them, and bless them and pour yourself out to and for them, as Christ did for you.
At the end of the day, all of this will require that you stop living and thinking of yourself first. You need to lay down your life for your God, for your friends, for your enemies. Die and let God raise you up.
You mentioned that your husband will start something and then after a couple of weeks stop. Have you asked him why he does that? My first thought is that he does the project for you but doesn’t get any (or much) positive feedback, and because he isn’t cheered on about it (if he were on his own probably wouldn’t do it at all), he just stops. I suggest that you cheer him on in everything he does that you appreciate. Actively and aggressively respect him.
I hope this helps.