Spiritual Resilience: Finding Hope and Strength in the Midst of Marital Crisis by Dr. Treal RavenelSample

Day 4: Choosing Truth Over Lies

Scripture: John 8:32 - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Finding hope and strength in the midst of marital struggles and crises requires making the decision to stick with the truth or give in to deception. This is where spiritual resilience comes into play. It can be easy to believe lies when faced with marital difficulties, especially when the hurt and pain feel unbearable. This can lead to even more conflict and hopelessness. Overcoming these hardships requires us to make the decision to firmly root ourselves in God's truth and protect our hearts and minds against deceit. 1 Samuel 17 emphasizes the value of choosing the truth above lies. In this passage, the Israelites are terrorized and bewildered by the warrior Goliath, who taunts and threatens them. David, a young shepherd boy, decides to put his faith in God's strength and promises in spite of the insurmountable obstacles and the lies of the enemy. David destroys Goliath with a sling and faith, proving that God's power and truth triumph over deceit and fear. Similar to this, when it comes to spiritual warfare and marital crises, we have to decide whether to accept the reality of God's love, grace, and redemption or to believe the lies the enemy whispers to us, lies of bitterness, uncertainty, and hopelessness. In the same way that David overcame his giant by relying on God's truth, so too must we firmly ground ourselves in God's Word in order to resist the lies that aim to destroy our faith and our relationships. We prepare ourselves to withstand the enemy's cunning strategies by fervently defending our hearts with God's truth and flooding our thoughts with His Word. Knowing that God's truth is our shield and our stronghold in the face of marital struggles and crises gives us hope and strength, just like it did for David. We can walk in spiritual resilience and find serenity and hope even in the middle of a storm when we choose truth over lies.

You can choose the truth over lies by using the following three useful tools:

1. Daily Affirmations of God's Truth: Speak God's truth over yourself and your circumstances at the beginning of each day. Recall and reflect on scriptures that reference His promises of grace, love, and healing. To counteract any lies or bad thoughts that may come up, repeat these affirmations often throughout the day.

2. Reflection and Journaling: To keep track of your feelings, ideas, and prayers, keep a notebook. Think about any falsehoods or unfavorable ideas you might be internalizing in this space. Write down refutations based on God's truth and ask Him to give you His opinion on the difficulties you are encountering. You can process your emotions and bring your thinking into alignment with His Word by keeping a journal.

3. Prayer Partners and Accountability: Look for dependable friends or spiritual mentors who can encourage you to choose the truth over lies and hold you accountable for your decisions. Ask for prayer and support as you share your difficulties and temptations with them.

Devotional Reflection: Identify a lie the enemy has tried to plant in your mind regarding your marriage. How can you counteract this lie with the truth of Scripture and experience the freedom and peace that comes from aligning your thoughts with God's Word?