Last week I began a series to highlight the blessings in the unexpected season my family recently experienced.

I remember when sharing the news about my husband’s layoff with a dear friend, her response was to embrace me and pray with me. The words that stood out the most to me were:

“Help Joyce to be who Shibu needs her to be.”

The truth is that I thought of myself as a loving and supportive wife. Yet these words penetrated me to the core.

I found the most powerful place for me to be was on my knees in prayer.  Not only did I intercede for my husband and seek God for provision, but communing with our Father provided me with every ounce of strength I needed.

I sought the Lord’s help for our home to feel peaceful especially in this season. Our home streamed with worship music, verses from the Bible were declared aloud, and prayers were said at any time in any room of the house.

I also realized the significance of flexibility as we would just go out for an impromptu car ride. Those rides just gave us a moment to breathe without feeling overwhelmed by our circumstances.

For a season that typically has stress written all over it, we found that the foundation of our marriage became stronger because of God’s amazing grace. Trusting that God is our Source and holding onto His promises for our future, we found ourselves drawing closer together and I am so thankful.

Our marriage vows “to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part,” includes both the positive and negative because life is filled with both. It’s easy to have a great marriage when things are going smoothly, but when the going gets tough there is a possibility of becoming disconnected.

Ephesians 4: 2-3 reminds us to “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Friend, do you find that your marriage is currently being affected by a negative circumstance? My prayer is that God is the center of your marriage and that you look to Him for help. In the midst of what looks like a situation that you can be drowned by, not only will our Anchor will help you stay afloat, but He will also receive great glory for how you thrive.
~Joyce

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