Dealing With The Floods Of Adversity In Our Relationships
What do you do when you’re in over your head and the floods of adversity are sweeping you off your feet?
Do what Isaiah says (Isaiah 43:1-3), “God says, `Don’t be afraid. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.’”
That’s a great promise. When you’re in over your head, when the floods come, the unexpected crises that batter the foundation of your relationships, your marriage, etc. you do three things:
1. Relax in God’s plan. He says, “Don’t be afraid.” Don’t get uptight. Don’t worry. God has a plan for your life. God’s plan for your life is always greater than the problems you’re going through. God’s purpose for your life is always more significant and more powerful than the problems you’re facing. Yes, you’re having problems. Yes, it’s a crisis. But floods always diminish and you need to hang on.
2. Recognize God’s presence. When you go through deep waters and great troubles, He says, “I will be with you.” You’re never alone when you’re going through a crisis. You may think you are, but you’re not. God is with you. You need to tune into that, recognize it. Open up your eyes and see, “God is here with me, I’m not in this alone.” You recognize God’s presence when the flood comes along.
3. Rely on God’s protection. “When you go through the rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.” That’s a promise. You can count on it. You may get wet. You may loose the house. But you’re not going to drown. God is with you. And He has a plan for your life. You need to say, “Lord, we’re trusting You to see us through this.” Notice the word “through”. It doesn’t say when you go over the floods. It doesn’t say when you go around the floods. The only way to go through a crisis is through it. When the crises of life come at your relationships your options are: You can either walk through it together or you can walk away. Those are your options. You can walk through it together as a team — face it together — or you can walk out. The tragedy is because a lot of relationships aren’t built on the right foundation when the crisis floods come into their life, and they sweep them off their feet, they drift apart in the flood.
What is the key to coping with a relational crisis? The key is commitment. It is commitment that will carry you through the crisis. Commitment to a relationship, to a church, a Life Group, your marriage.
Commitment means being willing to be miserable for a while. Commitment means being willing to be unhappy while you work out the problems. Instead of walking out you hang in there even though it stinks! Even though you’ve very unhappy you hang in there until you work it out. That’s commitment. The willingness to forego happiness for the purpose that the relationship may ultimately find satisfaction.
When you face the floods of crisis that are going to come into your life stick with it. Don’t give up.
