How to Fight Fair and Fearless in Your Marriage by Treal RavenelSample

Remain hopeful!

Just when the devil thought he had you, just when he felt that this process and your spouse telling you that they wanted out of the marriage and possibly that they didn't love you anymore, God sent you a messenger. He provided you with a beacon of hope to hold onto and reminded you to not let go.

This hope is not necessarily for your marital status to change by the snap of a finger or your spouse to suddenly change their mind, but this hope is for you. The J. B. Phillips translation of Colossians 1:27 puts it this way: "The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come." It goes on to say that "the hope of glory is the fulfillment of God's promise to restore us and all creation." This hope is not of wishful thinking, but the Godly confidence, expectancy, and joyful knowledge that you are changing by God and will one day see Christ face to face conformed to His image.

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:18). For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope (Romans 15:4).

As we encounter problems, conflicts, tribulations, and trouble in life and our relationships, the Bible teaches us to be steadfast and unmovable. The words weaved throughout scripture impart comfort within during the most challenging times. Refuse to sink under the waves of your storm. Grab hold to the hope that the Lord will see you through.

Devotional Reflection: Keeping hope alive is challenging through difficult times, but it's not impossible. There is so much more to you than what you are enduring right now. I can assure you that better days are ahead. Psalm 30:5 says that weeping may endure for a night (for a short while), but joy is coming in the morning (it will not belong). This week, prepare for your season of joyfulness that is underway. I ask that you share with a friend or two that you are anticipating your season of joy and proceed to explain to them what that will look like in full manifestation.

It is my prayer that this devotional blessed you in some way. I pray that you feel lighter, more hopeful, and joyful after going through these seven days with me. The main goal for this devotional was to point you back to the solution vs. focusing on the problems you're experiencing in your marriage. Sometimes, the problem can seem so big, and nothing else has your time and attention. God never wants the situation to become more significant than him.

For more encouragement and additional support on how to fight fair and fearless in your marriage, connect with our Wives Who Win community for biblical and practical tools, resources, and strategies.