10 Steps to Unity in Your Blended FamilySample

Step 4: Establish trust within your new family unit.

One of the biggest differences between a nuclear or traditional family and a blended family is establishing trust. A nuclear family has been building trust since the birth of the first child. In a blended family, trust is harder to gain and more easily lost. It may require a lot more time and intentionality to establish trustworthy and healthy relationships, especially with older children who are often more skeptical and guarded than younger children. Building trust takes a lot of patience, prayer, persistence, and perseverance. Learning to trust God through that process is key to the success of a blended family.

Blending can be an amazing experience, but it also involves trials, struggles, and disagreements that can create fear and mistrust in your marriage and blended family. Christ is our focus, and His Word is our answer. Scripture says that when we are afraid, we can trust Him (Psalm 56:3). By reading the Word of God and acting in obedience to His truth, we gain insight into how to develop trust in our blended family.

In the process of blending, it is important to be transparent with your new spouse about how you are feeling and thinking. Children need to be able to share their emotions openly as well. Another element in building trust is consistency. When children understand their boundaries and know those boundaries will not suddenly shift, they can become comfortable in trusting the new members of that family. Lastly, listening to each other can go a long way when establishing the trust needed for a healthy blended family.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of marriage and children. May my marriage reflect Your heart in what I say and do with my spouse and blended family. Help us to steward, disciple, and train our children in the way they should go as we seek Your will for their lives and our family. If there is any root of distrust or unforgiveness in my heart from past relationships or ex-spouses, I pray that You would begin to uproot every lie of the enemy and replace them with Your truth. You are the foundation of our marriage and family. Where there is disharmony, I pray that You would bring your unity and peace. Amen.