When The Path Looks Impossible
When troubles seem to be all around you, when the path looks impossible in your marriage … call on Jesus. All things are possible with Him!
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27
Nothing is sadder than when a couple decides to throw in the towel. When you have years invested in this marriage, yet the troubles seem to be too much … the “d” word is uttered, and there seems to be no turning back now. But, there can be! Divorce does not solve the problem. Instead, if there are children involved, it further complicates matters. Children are forced to live with continued chaos in their lives by being shuffled around from home to home for visitation. It is especially hard on children and parents that have such a deep bond together to be apart for any length of time, especially if the children are young at the time the parents call it quits.
It is so sad to me to hear of couples that are giving up the good fight. Yes, life is hard. Yes, marriage can be extremely difficult at times because you are two completely different human beings with different personalities, different unique qualities and you’re living under one roof trying to make this thing work. And it can … but it requires work on both parts! One simply cannot carry the weight of the marriage, it takes two people working together to be the best that they can be for each other. Marriage is worth it! Your children are worth it! You CAN live happily ever after!
Divorce does not solve anything. If there are issues that have come up in your marriage, if there are things from the past that are haunting you … divorce will not make all of these things go away. If you give up, nothing will be resolved. If you have pain from things in your past, running from them and divorcing your spouse will not solve it because you will not have dealt with those things that pain you greatly. Instead, you will carry these unresolved issues into your next relationship. It won’t be any better!
I have actually talked couples out of divorcing before. I have had several couples that have come to me with trouble in their marriage looking for someone to give them permission to let go of their spouse. What they get from me, instead, is to cling tighter to your spouse and to your marriage! It is worth saving! If there is any way possible, make it work! If there are children involved, especially … you and your children deserve the “happily ever after.” It doesn’t just have to be for fairy tales that you read or movies that you watch. You can have your very own happily ever after! My husband and I have seen some rough times in our marriage, but we are still holding on tighter than ever. Neither of us wants to lose the other. We do not want to give up on our family, and so we cling to each other and uphold our marriage vows. When things seem impossible for us, we know that all things are possible with God! He is our strength when we are weak. He fights for us.. He shields and protects, and He gives us the will to continue on.
With God ALL things are possible … ALL things … even the chance to live happily ever after with your spouse.
Join us tomorrow for the final day in this series … When The Path Leads You Home.
For all posts in this series thus far, click here.
Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection
When Troubles Loom Large
The enemy would like nothing more than to destroy your marriage. Do you realize that he waits in the wings to steal, kill, and destroy? He would like nothing more than to throw his wicked head back and laugh with his forked tongue wagging as you and your spouse spiral downhill faster than the speed of light.
When troubles loom large, know that our God is bigger than any attack from the devil.
He IS! Our God is greater than any trouble the devil can throw your way. As mean, ugly, and scary as he is, our God is bigger, stronger, and has more power! When you and your spouse get into trouble in your marriage, ask God to step in and fight for you. You do not have to fight this battle alone. God is right there ready, willing, and able to step in – all you have to do is ask Him to do so.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9
The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
There will be wolves in sheep’s clothing. There will be those slicked tongued individuals that will slide into your life and wreak havoc in your marriage. They will try everything to weasel in between you and your spouse. Do not allow this to happen.
Do you know why your marriage is under attack? Because nothing comes closer to God’s love for the church than the love spouses are to have for each other. Your marriage has been ordained by God above!
In times of trouble, put on the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 speaks volumes on how to do just that. As Cindi and Hugh put it in their book:
We are to put on the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit — all that we might stand firm.
Stand and fight for your marriages, ladies and gentlemen. Do NOT let the enemy win here. Guard your hearts, your minds, your body and soul against the devil and the attacks that he launches at you. He will try to make you doubt that your spouse loves you. He will try to make you unsure of where you stand with them. He will put all kinds of thoughts into your head of things that are NOT true, yet he will be so convincing and before you know it, you will be in a fit of rage believing all of the lies that he has told you. Do not give into temptation. Just when you are trying to be strong, he will put a person before you that will tempt you and try you. Do not allow your lustful nature to take over. Do not sin against yourself, your God, or your spouse! Do what is right and do not give in to temptation or sin. Do not give into lust. Uphold your marriage vows!
Knock that little man with the pitchfork off of your shoulder. You know the one … he whispers destruction in your ear. He is the father of lies, deceit and betrayal. Do NOT fall for any of this. Do not allow yourself to be lured into believing the lies and focusing on the negatives that he forces into your mind all hours of the day and night. Do not give into temptation! Instead, do as the scriptures tell us and focus on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.
Protect your marriages. Honor your spouse and uphold your marriage vows. When times get tough, God can and will fight for you. Welcome Him into your marriages, allow Him to protect and shelter as only He can. Your marriage is worth fighting for, and God is just the one to do it. He can and will defeat the enemy.
Join us tomorrow for … When The Path Looks Impossible.
For all posts in this series, click here.
Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection
Having A Mission
Have you considered having a mission in your marriage? What do people think of when you and your spouse come to mind? How is your marriage impacting the lives of others around you?
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
It is true that you may be the only Jesus that some people see in their lives. There may be lost souls that do not know Jesus and have never been told how they can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You and your spouse can tell them. Your actions can speak volumes in motivating others to want what you have and ask how to obtain it … and it’s simple really. They can see how Jesus is working in your lives, your hearts, and your marriage and want that same thing for themselves!
There are those around you that are watching you and your spouse. From friends, family members, your very own children, and people in public … your actions are being watched even if you don’t think so at that moment in time. People pick up on how you and your spouse are toward each other. They watch how you interact together, and even when you aren’t speaking with words, your body language speaks volumes.
Maybe your mission is to model how a marriage should be. Maybe you will be a role model for a young couple that sees the love between you and your spouse and wonder how you keep the fires burning after all of these years together. You just might be their inspiration to hold on a little tighter and to try a little harder in their own marriages. You truly never know the impact you can have on someone else’s life, but I can guarantee you that God brought you and your spouse together for a very special reason with having a mission in mind.
Perhaps you and your spouse are on a mission to feed the homeless or to adopt the orphaned. Maybe you and your spouse are on a mission to help women who have been abused or who are struggling to find their sense of self worth after years of being beat down. Or perhaps you are supposed to open your home to teenagers so they will have an alternative place to go besides partying, drinking, and experimenting with drugs and sexual activity. I know for us, we welcome my daughter’s teenage friends and purposely have an open door policy for them to feel free to come over to hang out so they’ll have a home away from home. We want them to know that they are always welcome here. This can be their safe haven and a place to come when everyone else is “partying.” If they don’t want to give in to peer pressure, they have other options and can remove themselves from that situation and come to our house instead.
One of the bible verses that I cling to is:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Believe this because it is true! God had a very special mission in mind when He brought you and your spouse together.
Join us tomorrow for … When Troubles Loom Large.
For all posts in this series, click here.
Buy the book on Amazon: When Couples Walk Together: 31 Days to a Closer Connection
