The Struggle is Real
by Terri Bonin
Do you have the kind of marriage that requires God? I say if you’re married, the longevity and happiness in your marriage DO require God. But somehow we always strive to break free from needing Him.
It’s human nature.
We require His provision, direction, guidance, and restraint, but we constantly think…
If I just made more money…
If we just had “so much” in savings…
When the kids leave…
The JOURNEY of life REQUIRES God and it is a blessing. He has all the answers AND all the resources, so why do we fight needing Him?
We need Him to…
…guide us through the conflict, help us in the struggle, and supply our needs.
An easy life will not bring satisfaction. If you are thinking of breaking free from your marriage because it IS HARD…hear me. Let’s discuss this way of thinking.
You may be looking for a life with no conflict, or one with more financial freedom so you can be happy. It seems normal to believe that an abundance of money and limitless choices in houses, clothes, travel, and leisure time would make a person happy.
This simply is NOT TRUE.
Easy DOES NOT equal HAPPY.
The harder the struggle the greater the reward…I encourage you to embrace making the hard choices. Give until it hurts in your marriage, in your family, in your finances, and in your work. Feel the satisfaction of a life well-lived being guided by the Savior.
We cheat ourselves when we do everything we can to protect ourselves from pain.
After I gave birth to my first child, the pain of childbirth SCARED ME, but I am so thankful, I did not allow it to cheat me out of the other ten children my husband and I enjoy today. I would not say I embraced the pain, but rather walked through it each time with an understanding, vision, and complete dependence on God.
The DEEP PAIN that wracked me day and night when my husband and I struggled DID NOT win the battle and run me away from God’s plan. Becoming the victor over those hard times makes our marriage all the sweeter today. We did NOT FLEE the pain. We addressed it, listened to His instruction, and walked through it…not away from it.
Homeschooling year after year for two decades has NOT been the easy road, but it is the road God put me on. Now that I have God-loving adult children, the struggle becomes a close friend that I embrace with my younger ones. I understand my adult kids will still make mistakes, but I know they are armed with the disciplines to get back up with God’s help. I continue to CHOOSE the struggle as I raise our younger children.
My point is that wherever you are hurting in your life, look carefully at the source of the pain. Look beyond it with eternal eyes and pray for vision. We have but one life to live and EASY should NOT be the goal.
We usually hurt when our comfort gets challenged, or our time is infringed upon.
When selfishness is challenged…pain surfaces.
A life worth living has struggle after struggle and those who persevere will feel the most satisfied in the end. Address the pain, stuff the selfishness, and embrace the struggle all with the help of your Almighty Creator.
~Terri
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