My wife and I are at the end of the lease on our car. We need to sell it or turn it back into the dealership in the next week. We have had it for sale for a few weeks with no offers. I have been praying about God’s provision for us as we will owe several thousand dollars for being over the mileage limit if we have to turn it back in. But I have not included my wife in the prayer process because I did not want to increase her anxiety through this circumstance. This morning I awoke and I realized that I was wrong and that this tough time was something that we needed to go through together in prayer. I felt that God might want to use this experience to strengthen our faith together in Him.
After praying with my wife on the phone this morning from my office, a little while later, I opened up Our Daily Bread, a scripture booklet that gives a verse each day during the year with a short encouragement. Today’s title (April 29th) is “Trust Me”. The verse is from Isaiah 43.2- “When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers they shall not overflow you.” I called my wife back immediately and told her how God’s word had just encouraged me. Then another wonderful thing happened. I receive a daily verse sent to me as a text on my cell phone from a scripture ministry. The verse read, ”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3.5. I couldn’t wait to tell Marsha!
Now my wife and I have both been encouraged by God’s word. He has taken a stressful situation and used it to build our faith through the scripture. He took a lemon and made lemonade. My protectiveness of my wife was unwise. I was keeping the both of us from God’s provision of faith concerning this trial.
Be vulnerable with your loved ones about your needs. Pray with them. God has called us to lean on one another. Read the Bible daily. He will use it to strengthen your faith. He will show up and be with you through the waters of difficulty.