We read in the Bible about walking through the valley and fighting battles and we are also assured that Jesus is with us every step of the way. If we know Jesus walks with us through the storms we face in this lifetime, we also understand that they have a pruning effect on us. Through struggles we learn how much we need Jesus. What if we change our perspective and learn to fall in love with our struggle instead of dwelling on how bad the situation looks to the human eye? If we identify that the enemy is attacking us because we matter, we can then own the power of our struggle!
Pastor Michael Bulkley from Kingdom Life Church in Milford, Ct said it best during one of his many sermons in 2017 "Not all truths are meant to be shared with everybody, but they are meant to be shared with somebody. If you keep your stuff, it can never be used to help someone else". So many marriages end in divorce because they simply faced struggles alone. They spend years putting on a mask, keeping up with the Jones' while behind closed doors their marriage was dying more and more each day. How many of these marriages could have been saved if they had just trusted someone enough to help them sort out the issues before they became so unbearable ending in divorce? It is no different than someone who seeks professional help for anxiety, you sit with a professional, discuss your triggers, and they send you home with coping skills or if needed some medications to take the edge off. Why is it so hard for us to find help to save our marriage when there are thousands of tools to help us to prevent it from ending in divorce?One common factor is the lack of transparency fueled by pride. We get married, post on social media portraying a perfect family and refuse to admit to anyone when we are hurting because we either have too much pride to ask for help or are too concerned about what others think of us. This is exactly where the enemy wants you, alone and isolated. Instead, if we learn to surrender by making ourselves vulnerable enough to share our struggles with others and choose to go to God for wisdom, He extends a grace and a freedom that helps you grow and understand that there is power in your struggle. Your struggle is not for you, it is to help others get free and to give God the glory.
When you share your story, it opens the door for God to move and help others but you have to keep your motives in check. Ask yourself, are you trying to belittle your spouse or are you truly seeking to repair your marriage by defeating the enemy to grow stronger together? Know that struggles never end for believers. When you choose to give God the glory over everything you endure, He will put the right people in place to lift you up, the right people for you to confide in and will walk with you through the struggles. Find your tribe, ask God to reveal those people who truly need to be in your inner circle and those who don't belong. Not everyone deserves your trust, ask God for discernment to see who is genuine. If you want our testimony be a blessing for others you have allow your transparent brokenness to be used by God. Be encouraged to pray for God to cover your marriage and submit to the Holy Spirit and each other every day and you will surely experience a peace that surpasses all understanding.
For when I am weak, then I am strong 2 Corinthians 12:10
