Marriage That WorksSample

The Catalysts of Growth

No marriage is problem-free. It doesn’t take long to realize that. Merging two lives has a way of creating friction! 

Even relatively smooth marriages get hit by the storms of life: 

• infertility or miscarriages
• trouble with in-laws
• financial challenges
• work disappointments
• heartache with children
• serious illnesses
• or even just normal transitions from one phase of life into another. 

Having a good marriage doesn’t depend on avoiding marital storms. It depends on knowing how to handle those storms. If you know what is happening and prepare yourself, hard times can become catalysts that bond your hearts and build oneness! 

The thing to do is to:

• Recognize the opportunity for growth.
• Refuse to get sidetracked or hung up in the problems themselves.
• Come together in a unified approach to solutions.

The covenant of marriage is designed to bring husband and wife together as one flesh (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:31). This oneness is a reality the instant you are joined in marriage. But it becomes your experience over a lifelong process. 

When two people bring their baggage into a relationship, “one flesh” may feel like a distant dream. But with God’s help, a firm commitment, and a determination to leverage storms and conflict for growth, the promise of “one flesh” becomes one of the greatest rewards a human being can experience!