Inviting God Into the Broken Places of Your Marriage
You can rebuild intimacy and trust after emotional distance or past wounds. Consistency is key. It's like cherishing a valuable vase. The vase is fragile requiring protection and special care to keep it beautiful. But if or when you become careless, the vase can easily fall, break, or become damaged. And while repair may not be easy, it is possible.
So how do you overcome brokenness in your marriage? By making common Christian spiritual disiciplines a part of your life and marriage. I know from experience how prayer, meditation, scripture study, commitment and grace turns brokenness into blessing.
In my book, Our Blended Family, God revealed lessons for marital success, I shared how to keep joy alive amid stress, parenting, and busy schedules. It is our personal story of faith, healing, and togetherness.
Seeking God's strength and guidance allow God to heal your brokenness. As you heal, you can better overcome resentment and even learn to forgive through practicing your faith, even when the pain feels fresh. You experience true forgiveness the moment you choose to release bitterness and rebuild trust.
Repairing from hurt or brokenness takes time, patience, and a whole lot of grace. I know this because I’ve lived it. But God, in His mercy, took the broken pieces of my past and began crafting something new, a story of healing, hope, and second chances.
CovenantStrong.org.
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” — Colossians 3:15
Love and blessings, j&c
The Organic Process of Connection
Connection is not automatic. It unfolds with acts of love that creates something positive and lasting. When you enjoy getting to know one another, everyday, regardless of how long you’ve known each other, is how you naturally create connection. But the journey is what creates the memories and the moments you eventually cherish. Then, before you know it, your connection leads to a serious relationship.
As couples begin living together, life is a lot different than dating. You’re in a different phase of learning one another. If you haven’t already, it is the important time to understand how your spouse processes conflict, the hot zones of their past and how a spouse’s past shapes their present responses. Take time to learn what makes them feel safe. Some of each other’s personal information becomes apparent as you grow and spend a lot of time together. It is the wonderful, organic process of connection.
The benefit of going through the process of connection, building a strong relationship, and learning how you both handle disappoint and challenges will allow you to survive, and even build relationship strength during difficult seasons. The process doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable. Yes, difficult seasons may require work in the sense of being intentional about two people coming together to make needed adjustments to grow. Understand that working to build a strong, healthy, thriving relationship may be tiring and even feel like work sometimes. But the good news is that you can get excited about the outcome because growth rarely feels effortless.