46 BE PRESENCE-DRIVEN

A presence-driven marriage understands that God’s presence births purposes, God’s purposes births plans and God’s plans birth productivity. What happens in your marriage must be determined by God’s Spirit. Otherwise, it is destined to be temporary instead of being lasting.

God’s presence births purpose in your marriage. A purpose has a time and season. Stepping into a purpose too soon can cause it to be stillborn. Holding onto an old purpose after its season is like trying to preserve manna. It smells.

God’s purpose in His timing and for His glory will birth abundant plans. So if one plan fails, God will birth another.

Then God’s plans always birth productivity. In other words, good fruit arises out of God’s plans. That fruit always conforms in quality to the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23).

Try this: Before moving forward, pray with your spouse concerning God’s next purpose and plan for your marriage. Be certain to birth what God desires, not what the two of you simply think may be a good idea.

The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest.”
Then Moses said to him,
“If your Presence does not go with us,
do not send us up from here.”

Ex. 33:14–15 NIV