When your spouse is not a believer….first off, do not give up!!! It is not hopeless or mission impossible. “With God all things are possible,” Matthew 19:26. Being unequally yoked can bring some real challenges to your marriage. Marriage is challenging enough on its own.
The good news is the spouse you fell in love with, Jesus loves. Jesus is pursuing them, too. The Lord wants it more than you do. No one is hopeless. The best thing you can do is pray for your spouse and get out of the Lord’s way.
I feel certain you have tried everything in your power to influence them. That might contribute to the problem. I hear your sigh. Take a deep breath and hear me out.
You are not responsible for their salvation. The job was never yours. The more you try, you may in fact be creating a wedge. No one likes to be set up. No one likes to be manipulated. Their experience with Christ needs to be just that “theirs.”
The Holy Spirit brings conviction. When we get in the way it seems we are nagging and trying to get our way. Finger pointing will bring tension, not conviction. In truth, true conviction is powerful because it is gentle, loving and comes with hope of what to do to change.
The most powerful tool you have is prayer. If you need to focus on something – let it be you! Um, what?! No, that’s not a typo. The influence you have is to be an example of Christ. You do that by spending your time in your relationship with Christ. When a person has that deep connection, it shows. People see it, feel it, and will want it.
Instead of you forcing your hand, your spouse will be coming to you asking questions. That is your opportunity to share your hope in Jesus. Give your testimony of faith and that is what will draw others to Christ.
THINK ON THIS…
1 Peter 3:4-7, “Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way of the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. Husbands in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. “