New Hope (Part 1) – Day 10

Several readers told me about their struggles in their marriages. Here is Corlea’s testimony that might give you new hope if you are struggling too:

Corlea: “Where I was sitting, on our back porch, a feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me when I heard my husband stepping into the home. I knew he had stopped at the bar before coming home. Up to that point, I tried everything in my power to save our marriage. It did not work. My heart ached as I realised that my marriage was probably over.

For years, my husband and I had led busy lives juggling work, kids and chores. We started to grow apart. As a sense of loneliness continued to fill me, I desperately tried to control and manipulate everything and everyone around me, to make myself feel better. It pushed my husband even further away.

We travelled together to Europe for a trip that some called our second honeymoon. However, while we walked around in the romantic cities, we had nothing to say to each other. It was a painful time. Back in South Africa, my husband moved out and said he wanted a divorce. He later came back home, but everything stayed the same between us.

After the night on the porch, my husband moved out again. I was alone. With tears flowing down my cheeks one night, I sat on my bed in my room and spoke to God. I told him that I refuse to let the enemy get the upper hand in our marriage. I did not want to raise my children in a broken home, but I did not have any plans anymore on how to fix our marriage. In that moment, it felt as if God revealed to me that my battle was not against flesh and blood, but against Satan and his demons – and they hate marriages and wanted to destroy ours. I had to pick up spiritual weapons to fight against the enemy and remind myself that Jesus had already won on the cross.

I started reading books on the theme of spiritual warfare. Someone also gave me Stormie Omartian’s book, The power of a praying wife, which helped a lot. For the first time in my life, I realised that I could pray for a wall of fire for protection of our marriage. I could also ask God to change what tasted sweet to bitter for my husband, that He would cause my husband to long after Him with no explanation and that He would send the right people over my husband’s path to speak into his life.

My husband and I did not see each other often, but when we did, I felt at times like my prayers did not have any effect. Still, I kept on praying. One particular day, I listened to the song by Michael W. Smith with the chorus: “One day every knee will bow and one day every tongue will confess that you are God”. I wanted to believe that it was a promise from God to me, for my husband, but I was not sure. I did not tell anyone about it, but continued to listen to the song repeatedly, praying for him. Shortly hereafter, our pastor prayed for me during a Sunday service. After he prayed, he said, “I have a feeling that God has given you a song. He says that you should hold onto the words of the song.” I was overwhelmed with emotion. God truly heard my prayers. I started praying with more faith than ever.

Six months after my husband moved out, he came back home again and said that he wanted us to rebuild our marriage. My only condition was that we do it with God this time. He agreed and we started a new path together. During this time, he told me about people God had sent over his path that spoke into his life. What previously tasted sweet, suddenly, had a bitter taste and he could not explain his desire to spend time with God. I could not contain my joy as I realised that while it did not feel like my prayers had power, the enemy, in effect, tried to discourage me from praying, but God heard each prayer and he answered them!

Today, years later, we are still happily married. My husband is my best friend again. He protects me physically and emotionally, and I have no desire to control or manipulate him anymore. Where I was a feminist before and wanted to assert my rights, I now follow God’s instructions for a marriage. It is the only way to guarantee a happy marriage. If I honour and respect my husband, he will have a desire to protect me. And the more he protects me, the less I want to manipulate or control him.

All honour to God! He restored our broken marriage, protected our children in the process and we now know he truly still does miracles!”

Corlea is right. Nothing is impossible with God. In Jeremiah 32:27 we read: “I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?” I encourage you to continue to trust him for whatever breakthrough you need. He will never leave you nor forsake you! God bless.