Consider this:: Joseph’s brothers put him in a pit and left him to die; later on, they sold him into slavery. Things became worse; he ended up in prison. Somewhere along the way, most of us would have “lost our faith” and given in to major depression. Yet, Joseph remained faithful. Years later, when his brothers found him in Egypt as second in command to Pharaoh, Joseph explained that what they had meant for evil, God meant for good.

Although your view of your current circumstances may be blocked, be assured that God knows His plans for you. “How can this (loss, setback, illness) be good?” you cry out. This is the time to choose the right attitude. You can choose to rejoice in knowing God is building your character, and your marriage, through the trial. Allowing God to work His purposes in our lives teaches us, over time, to trust what He is forming in us. Think about your life right now. Do the situations you are in make you fearful, or do you have a positive expectation that when the next problem comes, God will be there again and again, continuing the work He is accomplishing in you? Every time we allow ourselves to react negatively to a particular person or situation, we choose how it affects us. We choose to feel angry and frustrated, or we choose to be patient and considerate by taking Joseph’s example. We will eventually understand that problems come to and through our lives for a purpose! This is how God shapes us into the image of His Son.

God has great plans for you and your spouse. He sees a bright and fulfilling future for you if you will simply follow His guidance and trust Him for the good outcome.

Discuss: God usually guides one step at a time. How do you respond when it seems as though God is withholding His guidance?

Pause here and write three long or short-term goals for your marriage and family. Talk about them with your spouse. Shared goals will add unity, strength, and purpose to your marriage. “Date nights” are a great time to discuss your goals, dreams, and desires together. Make date nights a priority—not just to talk about goals, but also to nurture romance, have fun, and relax.

Your point of view is everything: the pond is an ocean to a tadpole.
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

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