Shh, come on in. I’m on the phone with my best friend. It’s okay, you can listen in for just a few minutes. No it’s not eaves dropping…I’m writing it! <chuckling>

Let’s face it, marriage is probably one of the most joy filled yet exasperating encounters we will ever experience.

Things can be rolling along all lovey dovey, then WHAM!! 

The world tilts and everything becomes a struggle. What seemed so easy yesterday is the epitome of difficult today.

I’m not sure about you, but when things are not going well between my Mr. Right and me,  or when something happens that affects our family, I start questioning everything.

Everything! God, love, my Mr. Right, myself. I start asking, Why?

Why did God bring us together?
Why is He letting all of this happen?
Why do we fight so much?
Why does this keep happening?
Why is this so hard?

Why?

Why isn’t my marriage what I thought it would be?
Why can’t he love me the way I need to be loved?

Why can’t I love him the way he needs to be loved?

Why?

Why should I believe this is going to get better?

Why? Why? Why?

The answer is really quite simple: Troubles come. 
They’re suppose to. 

(Psst, did you hear that?)

(What?!)

(Is this woman crazy? She said troubles are supposed to come!)

Yep, I said it! Troubles are supposed to come.

(Really?)

Yep! Really!

Here, let me show you where it says so in my opinion:

You see, if God’s word tells us to consider tests and challenges from all sides a gift, not just any gift but a sheer gift (by one definition, sheer means: complete; right) then I suppose we are to consider tests and challenges a complete and right gift! 

He knew troubles, challenges, and tests were going to come. He knew we would be placed under pressure. Nowhere are troubles and challenges more evident sometimes than in our marriages.

But even so He gives us the reason to all of the why’s.

Because through those challenging moments, those tests from all sides, those troubles, our faith life shows its true colors and grows us right where we need to grow! 

See the portion of the scripture that talks about not trying to get out of anything prematurely?

Well, I believe, in marriage we can’t get away from the tests and challenges as easily as we can in other areas of our lives, so growing isn’t an option in marriage but a requirement.

We need those pesky troubles in our marriages.We are given the exact problems we need to have so we can “become well-developed and not deficient in anyway!” 

When we can see that we are struggling in faith, then we are able to focus on becoming more mature in our faith. When we see we are asking why more often than not, it’s time to look up and say,

Father, where are you trying to grow me for my marriage? 

So, the next time things seem a little off in your marriage, challenges and tests are coming from all sides, remember God knows all about it. He planned it and wants you to grow in your faith….Let those pesky troubles do their work, you and your marriage will be better for it!