Weathering the Storms
Spring in Southern Maryland is a conglomeration of virtually every type of weather-event known to humankind. It’s not uncommon to experience vast fluctuations in temperature within a 24-hour period. One day requires heat and the next demands air-conditioning. Sun beats down on newly sprouting plants wilting the tender leaves, and by morning snow blankets the ground. Hail and high winds can usher in days of ceaseless rainfall. Drought gives way to flash flooding, and oppressive heat and humidity replace chill, dry air.
Married life is very similar to changing weather patterns. Some storms are gentle, spring showers that pass as hastily as they arrive, like minor disagreements that are quickly resolved. Others are violent, summer tempests spawning funnel clouds which leave a path of destruction behind. Such severe storms commonly cause serious damage, and catastrophic events often produce seemingly irreparable destruction, like extra-marital affairs or addiction that devastate even the most solid of unions. Bitter-cold winter storms yield heavy snowfalls that bring normal life to a screeching halt, paralyzing entire regions for days or even weeks. Long-term illness or serious injury can find us enduring lengthy stretches of difficulty, exhausting and discouraging the strongest among us.
We are faced with several choices when dealing with storm damage:
Ignore the damage and allow it to worsen over time due to neglect
Opt for quick and careless repairs to delay inevitable deterioration
Implement careful, deliberate repairs to avoid future deterioration and cost
Seek the expertise of professionals when the resulting damage is beyond our scope of competence or ability
Would we appreciate sunshine if we didn’t experience rain? Would we savor the warmth of spring if we hadn’t endured the winter cold? Would we be relieved by the chill of autumn if we hadn’t melted in the August heat?
We grow to treasure the sweet times by laboring through the troubled times. God builds our marital muscle through tribulation, toughening our resolve and increasing our resilience. We learn to be flexible, allowing for grace and mercy to bring restorative healing to our hearts. The rigid will snap when the changing winds of circumstance blow, but the pliable will bend allowing the Creator to adjust any flawed character traits. It is because of these storms, not in spite of them, that we are able to develop resolute determination.
Braving the storms of life serves as a powerful reminder that each season of life is temporary. Some are brief, others are lengthy, but all eventually come to an end, giving way to welcome times of respite.
Prepare yourself for inclement weather, husband and wife! The enemy is constantly alert and waits for the slightest opportunity to instigate division. Just when skies appear calm, a sudden disagreement or argument can rain on your parade and diffuse your joy. A bitter falling-out can cause damage which requires immediate attention to prevent further destruction. Cataclysmic devastation can threaten the very foundation of the marriage relationship, sometimes requiring a complete reconstruction.
It is advisable to address any damage immediately and decisively. The storms will rage, but your marriage needn’t be consumed in the aftermath. Allow the Lord to use the storms to deepen and enrich your holy union.
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“ See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” ~ Song of Solomon 2:11-12