Staying PowerSample

Day Six

Serving in the Hardest Moments

Scripture: Psalm 118:6; Job 6:2–3; Luke 6:38

When painful circumstances enter our marriages, we often struggle with questions: 

o Why would a loving God allow such a terrible thing to happen to us when we’ve tried to be faithful to him? 

o Why does God allow suffering to come to some couples but not others? 

o How can what’s happened to our family work out for our good and for God’s glory? 

o Why do some people get answers to their prayers for healing, but our prayers get none? 

With no easy answers, we get up each day and take care of the urgency our situation demands—holding on until our head hits the pillow at night—and then we start over again when the alarm goes off the next morning. We echo Job with this thought: “If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales, they would outweigh all the sands of the sea” (Job 6:2–3).

At these times, we’re often tempted to withdraw from public life and ministry for a variety of reasons—mostly because we’re exhausted from dealing with our situation and sometimes because we’re disappointed in God. 

When you encounter unthinkable challenges as a married couple, even in your pain look for ways to serve others. Consider these biblical reasons for serving others:

· Serving others allows us to partner with God. “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear” (Psalm 118:6). 

· Serving others produces blessing. “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity” (Luke 6:38). 

· Serving others brings glory to God. “Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).

· Serving others makes us Jesus-focused. “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (Matthew 25:40). 

Serving others changes our perspective on our situation and can bring us closer together in marriage. God will give you people to serve while you are suffering—and when you accept those opportunities, you’ll find a deep, extravagant joy.

What is one act of service you could offer as individuals or as a couple this week?