How to Thrive During Difficult Seasons
I don’t know about you, but my marriage is nothing but smiles, laughter, and fanning each other with palm leaves…just kidding! Marriage has its ups and downs, but I want to share with you the tips I have found on how to thrive during difficult seasons.
No marriage is perfect, including my own! Every relationship has its difficult seasons. It’s when you allow the difficult seasons to become downward spirals that you really get into dangerous situations.
That’s why I want to do all I can do to help you keep your marriage strong, even in the midst of challenges.
God loves marriage. He created it! No matter what your circumstances, no matter what challenges you face, God can bring healing and restoration to any relationship, if you seek His wisdom and presence.
Part of having a strong marriage comes from paying attention to it, recognizing the difficult seasons when they come, and doing the hard work it takes to overcome them so you can come out even stronger!
Recognizing and Navigating the Difficult Seasons
Just like life, every marriage has difficult seasons. Whether it’s caring for aging parents, raising young children, or dealing with a big loss, God is there through it all.
You just have to take your eyes off the problems and put them back on His promises.
The enemy wants to divide you and your spouse, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to get you to believe that God doesn’t have better for you. Don’t believe him!
If you are in the midst of a battle, take heart, because the battle can often be the most intense right as you’re about to experience victory.
I want to encourage you to stay in the fight, no matter what the circumstances. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, pick up your sword of the Spirit and fight the enemy until you have the fulfillment of the promises of God! 🙌
Often, the decisions you make in the difficult seasons are the most important. Choose to believe the Word of God today and you will learn to navigate difficult seasons with courage and hope.
Go HERE to watch my Youtube teaching on “Navigating Difficult Seasons in Your Marriage.”
Resisting the Urge to Stay Offended and Wounded
In the early years of our marriage, I struggled to figure out who I was as a wife and mother.
Instead of looking to God for my identity, I often relied on my husband, Gary, to make me feel loved and whole.
I learned this truth the hard way: only when we find our identities in Christ can we be made whole!
Once I learned how to do that, my spouse wasn’t responsible for my happiness, and that went a long way in making our marriage stronger. I learned how to thrive during difficult seasons because God was my source.
But still, I am human and I made my share of mistakes, one of which was staying offended too long.
There were times we would go to bed angry (P.S. – this is not what Ephesians 4:26 tells us to do), Gary would fall asleep, and I would toss and turn just to try and keep him awake too! 🤦♀️ We all harbor offenses and act out in anger.
The good news? When we learn to rely on His Word more than our wounds, we are made whole.
Psalm 107:20 says that “He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.”
When we choose to surrender our will, emotional pain, and confusion to Jesus, we give Him room to bring wholeness to our spirits, souls, emotions, bodies, and every part of our lives!
Jesus wants you to be free from all hurt and confusion.
Jesus wants you to thrive in difficult seasons. He doesn’t want to see you hurting. The best thing you can do right now, if you are harboring any unforgiveness or offense, is to ask God to do a work of healing in every part of your life and to help you let go. It will do wonders for your spirit and your marriage.
I hope this has helped you gain some wisdom and understanding in your marriage. I am right here praying for you and cheering you on as you move forward in your journey!
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