Marcela could not hold back the tears. There seemed to be no explanation for the fact that her marriage had gone up in smoke. Mother of three children, a successful business woman, respected among her work colleagues and neighbors, she always believed that the differences she had with her husband were nothing more than harsh words and passing discontentment. Suddenly, her world crumbled. Carlos, her husband, thought that he needed time to “think”. One of her children began to hang out with friends who were a bad influence and the other children were not doing well in school. Because of these problems, he decided to leave the family. “How did I get into this situation?” he asked.
Family relationships, currently, are under great pressure and conflict. This crisis that affects parents is reflected and expanded in our children, who are caught in the cross-fire. Violence among children, substance abuse and teen rebellion are some of the consequences. When family relationships are in crisis, everyone is affected. It becomes difficult to act rationally. Feelings become uncontrolled, causing anguish, fear, anger and depression. Perhaps the scenes described above are nothing new and portray part of the pain that you are suffering.
The family is the only place that can give us security. However, when these relationships fail, the result is pain, suffering and sadness. The wounds opened in the family can bleed for a whole lifetime.
In the midst of such a dark and discouraging scene, how is it possible to find the key to happiness in the family? Is there hope for family crises?
In distress, Marcela listened to the advice of a friend and sought strength and help in God. She began to attend a church near her home and asked her husband to forgive her. He came back home and soon the whole family began attending church. “God saved my family and changed me. Now, even my relationship with my children has changed,” states Marcela.
The Bible mentions that God is not only concerned with each person individually, but also with our family life. For this reason, at creation, He established two important institutions: the family (Genesis 2:23, 24) and the Sabbath as a day of rest (Genesis 2:1-3). The family is the basic nucleus of society, the place where we should feel loved and happy. The Sabbath is a day in which family members should be together to worship and honor the Creator (Isaiah 58: 13, 14). God knows very well what we need to be happy. “I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” (Isaiah 48:17). In spite of our mistakes, He loves us continually, always desiring the best for our family. “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3).
God will never leave us. We should seek Him with all of our strength. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart,” affirms the Lord (Jeremiah 29:13).
After a study held among thousands of couples, researchers discovered that in marriages where the spouses pray to God and dedicate time to read the Bible together, there is a 90 to 95% survival rate for the marriage.
However, the greatest hope for you and your family is found in the soon return of Jesus to this world and the New Earth that He has promised, where “we [shall] ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). There God’s great family reunion will be held, and all the His family members will live forever in perfect harmony.
Marcos Blanco
Evaluate your Family
1. How would you rate the communication among your family members?
2. Do my spouse and I agree on the way we educate our children?
3. What are our strong points?
4. In what aspects do we need to improve?
5. Do we know how to forgive each other?
