As wonderful as marriage can be, some couples may find themselves asking the question "Why am I married to this person?" and even concluding that they'd be better off without them. Marriage is a lot of work and it can be both daunting and exhausting. But in the midst of relational strife, the Designer of marriage is in no way passive and is actively seeking out ways to restore marriages and people.
You may have a friend on the brink of divorce or you could be in that situation yourself and wanting to fight for it to the end. Dealing with a maimed marriage is no easy task, but it's not impossible to recover. Here are four truths for couples who might be on the brink of divorce today.
God fights with you
You want to fight for your marriage, but you're just too tired. In the process, you end up fighting against your spouse instead of with your spouse to keep the marriage alive. Any battle in life, if fought alone, will always wear us out to exhaustion. We were never meant to fight our battles alone. There is a God who fights for and with us.
Deuteronomy 20:4 tells us, "For the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory." God promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us and will join us in battle, but will you let Him in?
You are not alone
Yes, you have each other, but you also have family and friends. Marriage is a union between a man and a woman, but we can partner with others to guide, mentor and pray for our marriages. That's why community matters, and when marriage gets tough, you want to be around people who will want the best for you and your spouse.
Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
Conflict is what brings growth
Marriage is hard work, but only because it was created by God to mould and sharpen us. Sure we can and should enjoy our marriage, but it won't always be a walk in the park. God brings trials and challenges to you and your spouse so that you can grow stronger together and individually.
And just like always, conflict is always temporary. It may be hard today, but tomorrow will get better. Question is can you stick it out enough and rely on God just a little bit more to persevere until you see that better tomorrow?
Jesus can and will satisfy
If you're looking to your spouse to satisfy your deepest needs, especially in this trying season, you'll only get more disappointed. That's because only Jesus can satisfy the heart and soul. He calls all who are burdened and weary to come to Him and experience His rest (Matthew 11:28). It is when we are most satisfied in Christ that we can love in the most sacrificial and selfless way. And maybe - just maybe - that's what your marriage needs most at this moment.
