To the Wife Who Is Tired of Fighting For Her Marriage

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light – Matthew 11:28-30

For the past few months I have encountered lots of conversations from women who are tired of fighting for their marriage. I have heard lots of questions:

• How much longer do I continue to do this?
• Why does it seem like I am the only one fighting?
• How do I pray for this marriage when I no longer know what to pray for?
• Why should I keep fighting?

I wish I could provide the answers for these questions, just like I wish that someone would have had the answers for me when I was asking them years ago. I could give you lots of scripture, and I could tell you to hold on to your faith (which I want you to do), but those words sound empty when compared to the loudness of the pain you feel. So, I want to offer you some practical advice.

Retreat – No one, not even the most well-trained soldier, can stay at the front line of the battle forever. Dodging bullets, living in the trenches, and even attacking the enemy takes its toll physically and emotionally. There is a time that the soldier must retreat – they must take a break from the battle. You, sis, need to retreat. I am not talking about going to the beach (even though that would be nice), but I am saying that you need to take a break. Some of you have focused so much on your marriage issues and your spouse that you have stopped sleeping well, stopped taking care of yourself, and to some extent, stopped enjoying life. You need to rest. Block out time in your schedule to simply rest. 

Refocus – Once you have rested, you may need to shift your thinking. Stop focusing on your marriage. I know that sounds crazy and contrary for someone who has a ministry for wives to say, but I think it can help. Some of us have made idles out of our issues – yep, we are consumed by them. We think about them all day and night. We imagine what is going to happen when we get home, and we get anxious and upset before we even arrive. Shift your focus from the issue to God. Begin to intentionally thank and praise God for everything that you can think of. Thank Him that you are in your right mind. Thank Him that He is with you through this hard situation. Thank Him that He will never leave you or forsake you. Try to gain God’s perspective (which means that you will have to release your own).

• Part of refocusing includes hearing God’s instructions about how to fight. Fighting is not only offensive – shooting and attacking. If we think that fighting is engaging in a yelling and screaming match with our husband (or giving him the silent treatment) we are mistaken. Our weapons are not like the world’s weapons. We wield our weapons with love. We don’t carelessly waste our words, but we use them in a targeted and strategic manner.We fight the enemy – not our spouse.

Re-enter –  You may not want to hear this, but after you have retreated and refocused you have to re-enter the battle. The difference is you don’t enter the same way. You come back empowered. You come back refreshed. You come back in a position of peace refusing to let the enemy take you back to chaos and confusion. Your decision-making is clearer. Your discernment is sharper. You have rested, and you have learned new strategies from Christ (see our scripture above). Boldly carry your shield of faith and your sword of the Spirit. Christ is fighting for you. The Holy Spirit is fighting through you. There is no option but victory.

I’m praying for you, dear wife. You are surrounded by a great cloud of wife-warriors who have been in battle or are currently in battle, and we are rooting for you to win! Call in some reinforcements if you must and know that victory is yours!