One evening after an intense “discussion,” my husband, J. J., told me that no matter what he did or how hard he tried, it was never enough for me.
He was right. I constantly found fault with him as a husband and as a dad.
But when he implied that I was impossible to please . . . well, that sent my already-out-of-control emotions reeling. I grabbed my coat and stormed out the front door. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I replayed our conversation in my head.
I was determined to figure out what J. J.’s problem was and get Jesus to fix him. So I started filing complaints against my husband in what you might call a prayer. And I finally heard myself — all the ugliness, all the anger. That’s when I realized, I need help.
I needed God to help me figure out— after seven years of a happy marriage — how we had gotten to this ugly place.
Instead of just crying, I found myself crying out to God for help.
King David had a habit of crying out to God for help when he was in distress. In Psalm 18:6 he wrote,
“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.” {NIV}
One Bible scholar notes that the phrase, “‘In my distress’ refers, most probably, not to any particular case, but rather indicates [David’s] general habit of mind, that when he was in deep distress and danger he had uniformly called upon the Lord, and had found Him ready to help.”
That night, when I stopped talking and started listening, I sensed God showing me I wanted J. J. to make up for all the ways my dad had fallen short as a father to me and as a husband to my mom.
Years as a child in a broken home with a broken heart had led to a significant sense of loss and deep disappointment. Yet, up to that point, I had never grieved the happily-ever-after that I longed for but didn’t have.
My unfulfilled hopes had become bitter expectations… [keep reading here]
Is there a place in your life where you could use God’s help? I’d love to pray with you today. Join me at inCourage where I’ve shared the rest of this story and how God became my help plus a simple prayer for YOU today. I’d love to be praying for you and with you! Join me here.